economy

Rising costs a concern

Rising food prices remains one of the top concerns among Panamanians, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Cámara de Comercio, Industrias y Agricultura de Panamá.

According to the survey, 30 percent of those asked listed rising food prices as the main problem in the country. That is an increase of 4 percent from June, when a similar survey found that 26 percent of Panamanians listed that as their primary concern.

Other responses to the question included crime, unemployment, rising gas prices, corruption and the state of the public transportation system.

The Autoridad de de Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia said that the average cost of the basic food basket for June was $249.96, a 17.4 percent increase from June 2007, when it was $212.76.

Raúl Eduardo Molina, president of the Asociación de Consumidores Libres, said that the rising cost of living is a problem that affects all segments of society. But he noted that it is a global problem, and one in which the government has little ability to control.

“Frankly, there is little that can be done,” he said, adding that measures such as price controls and wage hikes would only make the situation worse.

José Ramón Varela, the president of the Cámara de Comercio, said that business owners are aware of the need to increase the purchasing power of citizens, but to increase salaries they need to either lower other costs or generate greater revenue.