Less than 24 hours after Government announced the country’s first case of the deadly coronavirus, scores of Guyanese rushed to pharmacies and other business establishments to stock up on products to help fight the infection.
Businesses, however, have begun to capitalise on the situation, hiking prices – in some cases drastically – for products such as facemasks, gloves, sanitizers and disinfectant sprays.
This publication was informed of one instance where someone paid $2500 for a single respiratory facemask. At some shops, the price for the Lysol sprays has doubled.
However, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) has condemned the sudden and significant increase in prices.
The PSC, in a statement to the media on Thursday, said it is disappointed that businesses have inflated their prices.
“As the threat of the coronavirus induces panic among the general populace, the Private Sector Commission is dismayed at recent claims reported in the media of businesses inflating the prices of necessities needed to combat the coronavirus disease,” the Commission said.
“The PSC condemns all acts of price gouging by businesses,” the PSC added.
