Former president of the Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago Rajiv Diptee believes that if the Eximbank facility has propped up certain food arrangements, “and if it is being reviewed and bent on ensuring the population has equitable access to the basics, it should be fully supported”. Speaking to the Express by phone yesterday, he said, “Consideration should also be given to those importers who could verify arrangements for the basic food items, and perhaps, the list could be expanded to include those importers.” Diptee made the comments following yesterday’s Sunday Express lead story which said the country could be facing a shortage of basic food items as wholesalers who import goods like potatoes and rice have been unable to access foreign exchange from the Eximbank in two months.
“The foreign exchange crunch is nothing new, especially when it comes to importers trying to find the quantities required to import food; especially the basics like rice, flour and oil. Eximbank always strove to ensure the industry has the essentials where the food items are concerned. Food and shelter are the heartbeats of what the man on the ground is working for,” he told the Express.
“It’s going to boil down to whether the foreign exchange is available. But at the end of the day we will all go back to Eximbank. I think they should get the support.
” He also said the Cabinet-appointed food committee was working to ensure proposals and recommendations were put forwa.