Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill has issued an order to businesses to engage in fair dealings with their customers during the period of declaration of a disaster area.

According to a release from the ministry, the Trade (Sale of Goods during the Period of Declaration of Disaster Area) (Hurricane Beryl) Order, 2024, came into effect on July 2, 2024, to protect Jamaican citizens from unwarranted price increases of in-demand items amid a disaster (natural) or emergency (public health).

The Order lasts for the duration of the Disaster Risk Management (Declaration of Disaster  Area) (Hurricane Beryl) Order, 2024.

It instructs that “no person whose business includes the retail sale of goods shall sell any ‘necessary goods’ to another person at a price higher than the price charged immediately before the coming into force of the Disaster Risk Management (Declaration of Disaster Area) (Hurricane Beryl) Order, 2024.” 

The order further advises that any business that acts in contravention of the instructions therein commits an offence and may be liable to a fine not exceeding $1 million. 

“The Trade (Sale of Goods during the Period of Declaration of Disaster Area) (Hurricane Beryl)  Order, 2024 has been issued to protect both Jamaican businesses and its citizens. The intention is to ensure continued equitable access to critical resources for our citizens to re-establish themselves following this major event and to ensure where ethics may waver, there is law to reaffirm fairness in the marketplace. The Government of Jamaica continues to work with suppliers to ensure supply levels are sufficient,” Minister Hill said.  

Necessary goods, as per the Order, refer to: 

(i) item used, or intended for use, as food or drink by a person;  

(ii) personal care items such as soap, cleaning products, antibacterial products, toiletries,  alcohol, hand sanitisers, feminine hygiene products, diapers, bleach and gloves;  (iii) medical supplies, including surgical masks and prescription and non-prescription  medication;  

(iv) building and roofing supplies (such as roofing shingles, roofing underlayment, roof  flashing, roofing sealant and adhesives, roofing tar and cement, gutters and spouts,  lumber, plywood and sheathing, nails and screws, drywall and plaster, insulation, hammers, saws, power tools, tape measures, levels, caulking and sealants, electrical  supplies, plumbing supplies, paints and painting supplies, tarpaulin and plastic sheeting);  (v) safety and cleaning supplies (such as work gloves, safety glasses, dust masks and  respirators, heavy-duty trash bags, utility knives, scissors, ladders and scaffolding,  generators and extension cords);  

(vi) emergency supplies (such as flashlights, batteries and first-aid kits).

However the goods protected by the order does not include those that are, or may be, regulated by or under (i) the Sugar Industry Control Act;  (ii) the Agricultural Produce Act;  (iii) the Agricultural Marketing Act;  (iv) the Coconut Industry Control Act;  (v) the Banana Board Act; or  (vi) the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Act.