Stringent quality specifications needed

Dear Editor,  

Profit seems to be more important than quality in Samoa these days. I wonder if the people see what is going around them here in Samoa. 

Take the simple loaf of bread as an example. You never find the same consistency weight differences. No standard weight up to 200gms differences between loafs of bread, too much raising and the agent makes the bread bigger but no quality in it for healthy consumers. 

Then there is the weight factor. 

I notice in Samoa we use Metric and Imperial measurements eg. Kilo=1000grams, lbs or pound = 0.453gms but in Europe a pound is 500gms or ½ a kilo which in most countries is illegal. 

I remember some 45 years ago a labourer was paid $2-$2.50tala per day and then the cost of bottle of beer was .40sene retail. For eg, Steinlager and Leopard, large bottles 750mls, imported from New Zealand. 

Cigarettes was 40sene per 20 sticks in 1971 a worker would be able to buy five bottles of beer large ones in a day. 

Now the daily wage is $18.40 per day. 5 hours @ $2.30 p/hour. 

That means the workers are worst off than they were 45 years ago. 

I am only using the beer and cigarettes as an indicator for the changes. Try figuring out everything else and tell me if we are moving forward.

 

Josef Baukes 

Samoa Observer

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