And while he was mildly cautioning his party, Deputy PM Hyde also had a strong caution for merchants and shopkeepers.
Speaking about the high cost of living and the burden it has had on the poor - he said government is getting ready to lock up business owners who continue to violate price controls:
Cordel Hyde, PUP Deputy Leader
"The shop owners and the merchants is stabbing our people in their backs. Every week, almost every day they raise the prices on the same goods over and over and over again. And the truth of the matter is prices should not be going up, prices should be going down, because the world prices is dropping."
"But we've been too nice to these shop owners, we've been too civilize, right? because what did we do? when we found out that they were price goughing us we name and shame them and then our people still go and buy from those same people."
"Listen to me, you all has to know your value you know. You all has to know your strength you know. You all has to know your power you know. You all has to make sure you spend money with the people who are helping you. Don't spend money with people who are ripping you off."
"I want those people to know something, I want to serve notice on those shop owners, since they don't want to behave themselves when we name and shame them. What we have to do lock them down, what we will have to do is close them down by any means necessary."
We note that a majority of the stores with violations in Belize City are from Hyde's Lake Independence area.
