Local butchers in the Gambia are at logger head with the Kanifing municipal officials over the price of meat. The butchers went on strike following moves by the council to impose prices on them, which they considered as totally unacceptable and uncalled for. The butchers are being blamed for the high prces for meat in the country. The price for meat had increased over 100 percent, which makes it difficult for poverty stricken Gambians to afford. The butcher said the price hikes are beyond their control and it would be wrong for any government agent to impose prices on them. Sources from Banjul, say KMC officials issued a decree urging the local butchers to comply with their new prices for meat or risked being evicted from the market. some butchers were forced to comply. This they say was geared towards protecting their businesses. But they intimated that they will operate on losses. The Gambia is witnessing a serious economic crisis. Basic food commodities such as rice, sugar cooking oil had doubled in recent times. Farmers upcountry are complaining about acute food shortages and malnutrition. According to my sources many farmers cannot afford one decent meal a day and their stored food is running out. _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~