WILLEMSTAD
– There will be no larger basic food basket for consumers with a limited wallet. The judge in preliminary relief proceedings drew a line on that yesterday.
The Interest Association Curaçaosche Agenturen and 27 wholesale importers had taken the government of Curaçao to court to prevent the basic basket from being expanded with complete product groups and non-essential items.
The Interest Association Curaçaosche Agenturen and 27 wholesale importers had taken the government of Curaçao to court to prevent the basic basket from being expanded with complete product groups and non-essential items.
In August, the government decided to expand the basket in order to cope with the financial and economic crisis and the large price increases due to, among other things, the covid pandemic.
In August, the government decided to expand the basket in order to cope with the financial and economic crisis and the large price increases due to, among other things, the covid pandemic.
The judge in preliminary relief proceedings accuses the government of not having made some research and a proper weighing of interests since the introduction of the basic food basket in 2012. Nor does it appear that research has been done into the necessity and the expected effects of placing the now designated additional products and entire product groups in the basic food basket. Incidentally, this includes not only basic products but also various luxury products and luxury variants of basic products.
The judge in preliminary relief proceedings accuses the government of not having made some research and a proper weighing of interests since the introduction of the basic food basket in 2012. Nor does it appear that research has been done into the necessity and the expected effects of placing the now designated additional products and entire product groups in the basic food basket. Incidentally, this includes not only basic products but also various luxury products and luxury variants of basic products.
The country, therefore, acted in violation of not only the principle of due care and the statement of reasons but also the prohibition of arbitrariness and the principle of proportionality when drafting and adopting the regulation.
The country, therefore, acted in violation of not only the principle of due care and the statement of reasons but also the prohibition of arbitrariness and the principle of proportionality when drafting and adopting the regulation.
This means that Minister of Economic Development, Ruisandro Cijntje, is seriously wrong with the regulation that would come into effect on September 1, but was halted by him pending this ruling.
This means that Minister of Economic Development, Ruisandro Cijntje, is seriously wrong with the regulation that would come into effect on September 1, but was halted by him pending this ruling.
According to the judge, Cijntje could have known this already because the officials had already warned in a previously drawn-up internal memorandum at his ministry that the basic food basket is not the right instrument to increase the accessibility of primary food for part of the population that benefits from a minimum income.
According to the judge, Cijntje could have known this already because the officials had already warned in a previously drawn-up internal memorandum at his ministry that the basic food basket is not the right instrument to increase the accessibility of primary food for part of the population that benefits from a minimum income.
The memorandum even recommends abolishing the basic basket and introducing another tool that better caters to those with a small wallet.
The memorandum even recommends abolishing the basic basket and introducing another tool that better caters to those with a small wallet.
One of the risks, according to the judge, is that a shortage will arise with the new regulation, because wholesalers and retailers will no longer buy basic products, it no longer pays off.
One of the risks, according to the judge, is that a shortage will arise with the new regulation, because wholesalers and retailers will no longer buy basic products, it no longer pays off.
https://www.curacaochronicle.com/post/main/judge-halts-expansion-of-the-basic-food-basket/
Comment