Prices of fuel, basic commodities remain frozen

Gov. Eloy S. Inos signed into law the “Commonwealth Price Freeze Act of 2015,” which permits a price freeze to be in effect until the end of a declaration of major disaster or significant emergency for the CNMI.

The governor signed the new law a day after the House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 19-59 that amends an existing disaster “price freeze” law to allow the governor to extend the number of days that a price freeze can be put in place.

The Senate passed S.B 19-59 earlier in a session on Tinian on Tuesday.

Last week, Inos requested the Legislature to hold emergency sessions to pass the amendment.

“In order to more effectively protect our residents from predatory pricing activities by merchants following Typhoon Soudelor, I respectfully request that you call an emergency joint session of the Commonwealth Legislature to amend the Disaster Price Freeze Act. At present the Disaster Price Freeze Act allows the governor to issue a price freeze for five days, and further allows one five-day extension,” said Inos in his letter.

According to Inos, a price freeze order was issued on Aug. 3 and was extended through Aug. 13.

“Price gouging has already been reported throughout the community. Without an amendment to the Act, I will be unable to extend this necessary protection for our community,” he said.

The Consumer Protection Act makes it unlawful for businesses to engage in price gouging, which occurs when a business increases prices based solely on a shortage of goods caused by a natural disaster or any other emergency.

The Office of the Attorney General will prosecute, both criminally and civilly, any business that engages in price gouging.

In a statement, the CNMI government said the price of the following items remain frozen:

1. Gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, natural gas, and all other chemical fuels, whether in gaseous, liquid, or solid form;

2. All foods and foodstuffs, including water, bottled water, beverages, and ice;

3. All clothing;

4. Flashlights, lamps, lanterns, candles, light bulbs, and other means of illumination;

5. Generators, cables, wires, electrical batteries of every sort, and similar equipment for the generation and/or transmission of electrical power;

6. All appliances used in the storage and/or preparation of food, including, but not limited to, stoves, barbecue grills, ovens, refrigerators, and coolers;

7. Tools typically used for construction, ground clearing, or home repairs, whether electrically powered, chemically powered, or manual, including, but not limited to, saws, machetes, hammers, drills, shovels, rakes, and brooms.

8. All bedding items, including pillows, futons and blankets.

It is illegal for any person or business to raise the price of any of the above-listed items while a price freeze is in effect. A violation of the Consumer Disaster Price Freeze Act is punishable by a $10,000 fine and one year of imprisonment for each violation.”

The CNMI government is also encouraging the public to report incidents of price gouging by contacting the Office of the Attorney General at (670) 237-7500 or (670) 664-2366/67. (Joel Pinaroc)