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Yesterday, you heard from the PM that the government was "doing its best" to try and reduce instances of price gouging. Today, in the Cabinet Brief, it stated that they invited the Controller of Supplies from the Ministry of Agriculture so that he could report on the efforts to address the issue. Cabinet then agreed to look into a way to open cooperative stores to provide basic food items at reduced costs. This would be for the most vulnerable members of society. The Cabinet also appointed Ministers Jose Mai, Orlando Habet, Dolores Balderamos Garcia, and Henry Charles Usher to return in a month with a concept paper.
In the same meeting, the Cabinet also approved the appointment of commissioners for a Commissioner of Inquiry which will start by the end of August. This body will look into the future modernization of the Sugar Cane Industry, and the government is also committed to keeping the SICB and its arms operational with the necessary funding.
The Attorney General also briefed the Cabinet on the ruling of The High Court regarding BSI which challenges parts of the Sugar Industry Act. The court ruled that parts of the act were unconstitutional, and the AG apprised the Cabinet that there are good prospects on appeal.
Cabinet was also apprised that representatives of BSI have written to the AG indicating their commitment to working with the cane farmers' associations. As such, the Cabinet sub committee established earlier this year, which is headed by Kareem Musa, was instructed to commence dialogue with BSI and other stakeholders to ensure the industry's sustainability.
