Dear Editor,
Everyone knows that we should make purchases using the metric system such as metre, litre and gram, but this does not happen with the general populace. We still ask for two pounds of beef, one pint of milk and a yard of cloth, using the imperial measuring system. Should someone ask for two kilogramme of beef, the butcher says he sells in pounds and not kilogrammes even though he uses a metric scale. He sets the metric scale where he thinks he will give the pounds the customer asks for.
I am grieved and annoyed every time I have to purchase things that have to be weighed. In the market I have issues all the time with sellers who short-weight me using the metric scale. When I complain, I am told the weight is correct because the scale is metric so they have to make deductions.
I do not know whether these sellers are wilfully short-weighing the stuff, or they do not know how to adjust the scale correctly, but I do know they never give over the weight; the customer always is given short weight.
Here are a few examples of how I was robbed of my right amount. In the Port Mourant market I asked for three pounds of plantains.
The one kg weight was used to give me my three pounds, and when I said that I am short by nearly three-quarters of a pound, an extra plantain was given. In the New Amsterdam market I was given one-and-a-half pounds of tomatoes for two pounds and three pounds of bananas for four pounds. Go to the supermarket and the same metric scale is used to weigh pounds. I now take what is given without saying anything, but
I am still grieved because of the short weight. This does not happen if you buy a pint of milk as the pint cup is used or a yard of cloth as the yardstick is used.
I hope the relevant authorities will do something to correct this situation. Either go back to the use of the pound scale or give conversion tables to all concerned along with an education drive throughout the country all over again, since it seems the nation is still hooked on the imperial system.
In my opinion, Guyana goes metric in 1982, has not brought about the necessary change and there should be a new drive all over again to stop this nonsense with metric scales weighing pounds.
Yours faithfully,
Ameer Bacchus
