Price hikes never end [Archives:2003/628/Business & Economy]

By Abdulaziz M. Abdullah
Aden
It is customary for people to welcome a new year and bid farewell to another year in the hope that hopes and dreams will be achieved.
The low-paid individuals pin their hopes on that prices will remain fixed.
This has manifested itself when the state has presented its economical, administrative and financial reform programs.
Such programs have become the focus of the attention of the World Bank and donor countries in order to maintain those who have low-paid individuals and fighting poverty.
As for the financial, economical and reform programs, the state has made tangible results in this regard.
Of course, we have also made good progress in terms of applying a market economy.
Through this, the prices of commodities have been determined, except what has been supported by the state.
In this case the government hasn't prepared anything for this regard. Prices have been determined according to the mechanism of the supply and demand.
Accordingly, the masses have fallen prey to the price deterioration. The merchants and businessmen's concern is to pant after high profits without considering the citizens' deteriorating conditions.
The state's role is restricted to this point. Does it have no effect without interfering in order to put an end to the high increase of prices particularly for the different consumption goods?
What is needed is to maintain market control through reducing prices.
The government's role in this respect is necessary and obligatory.
It should protect consumers from the repeated high increase of prices.
Will the government surrender to the fury of the public if such conditions remain?
The low-paid individuals will be greatly affected by the fluctuation of prices of all foodstuff.
What make things more tangled is that some individuals are incapable of increasing their financial resources through looking for alternative resources.
This has coincided with an increase of the unemployed and the poor below the poverty line.
This is not restricted to our country, but also other adjacent countries such as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States.
The problem has reached its climax when thousands of Yemenis were deported from the Saudi Arabia during the 1990 Gulf crisis.
The problem of price increases cannot be solved unless there is no immediate solutions by the state.
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