Umar: Raising price of staple goods is defeat to the people

Former Home Minister, Umar Naseer has said that the price of staple goods being double was a defeat on the people of the country.

In a tweet he sent out, Umar said that it does not matter if it’s done by Ex-President Nasheed or President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, a bad thing would be a bad thing.

Umar said that the difference between the economic policy of President Yameen and former President Nasheed is very small.

He said that the people “went to red” when the electricity prices went up in the Nasheed presidency because his campaign promise was to not raise prices.

While STELCO decided to add MVR 0.04 per unit last Wednesday, the government made a surprise on announcement on Thursday night that subsidy removed from staple goods.

With the subsidy removed, the controlled price of Rice went up from MVR 3.95 to MVR 7.96 per kilogram. And the price of a kilogram of Sugar went up from MVR 4.50 to MVR 8 while the price of Flour was raised from MVR 3.50 to MVR 5.96 per kilogram.

Subsidy would be given to those in poverty alone through the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) with MVR 40 per head.