[PHNOM PENH POST]
More than 200 factory workers gathered at Freedom Park near Wat Phnom
yesterday to urge the government to cut taxes on petrol, saying fuel
prices were driving food prices beyond what they could afford.
But the government is doing all it can to curb inflation and has no control over oil prices, a government spokesman said.
Sath
Chheanghour, president of the Cambodian National Confederation of
Labourers’ Protection, said workers and motorcycle taxi drivers were
being hard hit by inflation and were struggling to feed themselves and
their families.
He called on the government to halve its import tax on petrol from 1,000 riel (US$0.24) to 500 riel a litre.
Garment
worker Yong Saphin said she spent half of her $61 monthly income on
rent and food, and called for the government to take measures to reduce
inflation.
Tuk-tuk driver Pheng Pros said almost all of the
30,000 to 40,000 riel he earned a day went to renting his vehicle,
petrol and food.
“Now, I’m living hand to mouth,” he said.
Keo Remy, chief of spokesmen of the Press and Quick Reaction Unit, said the government was carefully monitoring inflation.
“The
government was fighting inflation by ensuring political and
macroeconomic stability, but rising petrol prices came from
oil-producing countries,” he said.
Oil prices remain over $85 a
barrel despite a steep drop last week. Oil for September delivery rose
25 cents to settle at $86.88 a barrel on the New York Mercantile
Exchange yesterday after prices tumbled 9.2 percent last week, the
biggest drop since the week ended on May 6.
No comments:
Post a Comment