Dear Editor,
It is well known that metric charts showing that 450 grammes make a pound were distributed as a guide in Region 2 for the business community during the change-over in the weighing system But despite this being so, some vendors at the markets in Anna Regina, Charity and Suddie, particularly in the meat section, are giving only 400 grammes a pound if purchases are made from them. My query to the vendors for the short weight incensed them so much so that I was advised to stop buying from them, which I did. After all, if I paid the full price asked for it was only reasonable that they complied with the legal obligation to give me the correct weight.
The vendors said that they have been doing this from the inception of the metric system and this in itself would give a clear indication of the thousands of customers who have been cheated by them from then till now.
Much to my astonishment, the vendors gave me to understand that no official from the regional administration or the police department had ever contacted them on this matter, and they would continue selling 400 grams for a pound, which is unfair to customers.
At present, the price of pork is $500 per pound and in selling 100 pounds at 400 grammes per pound a vendor gets no less than 10 pounds more for this alone while pocketing an additional $5,000 through dishonest practices. While this is good for the vendors, it is very bad for the customers who are being cheated all the time, and this is not good enough. The society needs protection from this barefaced rip-off, and the law needs to be enforced so customers get 450 grammes for a pound at all times.
Customers are also deprived of their just weight from the use of a lot of defective scales at these markets, but no one cares.
The most common ones are the hand scales which should be banned. Only the good Lord knows for what reason some government officers are employed in this district.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
