BCEN raises hand to monitor port charge cuts

A consumer advocacy body has declared it wants to work with the Bridgetown Port to act as a watchdog on price changes, after Prime Minister Mia Mottley said that recent reductions in the cost of container-related port charges ought to be passed onto consumers.

However, Maureen Holder, executive director of the Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN) which was formed in mid-2022, said the port would have to spearhead any initiative which involves other entities working together to monitor the conduct of the savings being passed on to Barbadians.

She was responding to Prime Minister Mottley who told a nationwide audience on Saturday that the Bridgetown Port, which reduced the charges by 10 per cent in April last year, will shortly cut them again by another 7.5 per cent.

Mottley said she was not satisfied that the full extent of the savings from the reduced charges was being passed on by businesses to consumers.

“Hence, we will invite the consumer protection bodies nationally, along with the Ministry of Commerce, to monitor with a hawk’s eye, the businesses that are passing on these reductions in savings to share with the public,” said the PM. “I am not using a stick, I am using a carrot, and we will help the public learn who are those businesses that have done the right and decent thing and passed on the savings to members of the public. The information will be shared with the public, and then you, the public, will decide where you want to make your purchases.”

But the BCEN’s executive director told Barbados TODAY the prime minister’s statement needs further clarification.

“If there is going to be any collaborative efforts aimed at exposing savings passed onto consumers through any action taken by the port, the Port Authority itself has to be the entity spearheading the initiative,” said Holder. “This means that all points of information and dissemination should originate from the Port.”

She noted that continuous communication helps maintain transparency and builds trust among consumers: “Therefore, it is imperative for the Bridgetown Port Authority to consistently provide updates on the status of the reduced charges/fees and also outline the positive impact on the cost of goods and services.”

Apart from the identification of those businesses that pass on the savings, the BCEN said there must be extensive engagement with the businesses that benefit from the reduced charges to encourage them to publicly disclose information.

“It is likely to be difficult to get certain businesses to disclose information because of [privacy concerns],” said Holder. “However, it may be difficult, but not impossible, because businesses might be able to find ways to work out how to get certain types of information in the public domain. There are various channels available for businesses to use, for example, signage, online platforms, or direct communication at the point of sale.”

The leader of the non-profit, non-governmental organisation identified three specific areas of action her group believes would need to be undertaken by the port.

One, she said, must be the provision of a detailed breakdown of charges that have been reduced. Holder suggested that this breakdown should be easily understandable for the general public, highlighting the specific components that have seen a reduction and explaining how this benefits consumers.

Secondly, the information should be published on the Barbados Port Authority’s official website, social media platforms, and other relevant communication channels for easy public access, she said.

The third point calls for the port to collaborate with the media to disseminate the information.

“Arrange interviews or press conferences to explain the context of the reduction in charges and its implications for businesses and consumers,” the consumer advocate urged.

“BCEN could collaborate with the port in all of the areas mentioned and also reach out to business associations and industry groups to ensure they are aware of the reduced charges and that they are passing on the savings to consumers.

“As a consequence, BCEN would be better able to establish a feedback mechanism (hotline, email, or online portal) for consumers to highlight and report instances where businesses are passing and not passing savings from the reduced port charges to consumers.”

On Saturday, Prime Minister Mottley had also promised to ask her office and the Bridgetown Port to share what the reductions look like “in practical terms”.

But a check with the port by Barbados TODAY on Monday revealed that the information was not yet ready.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb