Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant, Digicel Jamaica in tandem with Facey Commodity Company Limited is urging pre-paid customers to boycott retailers who are selling the flex cards above the recommended retail price.
"Pay only 20 per cent G.C.T. (General Consumption Tax) and not a dollar more," reads the feisty advertisement that has been making the rounds in The Gleaner's publications.
"Basically, that is exactly it ... people should just pay (the card price) and 20 per cent G.C.T.," explained David Hall, chief executive officer of Digicel Jamaica.
Paulette Daley, card sales manager at Facey Commodity Company Ltd., told The Gleaner that some retailers are selling the $100 flex card, which should be sold for $120, for anywhere between $125 dollars and $140.
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"It is happening right across the country, especially in the nightclub areas," explained Mrs. Daley as she outlined the prevalence of the practice. She added that flex card users are required to spend "top dollars" for a top-up when it is late and depending on the availability of the product in that locale.
Patrick King, head of consumer sales at Digicel, said his company is not able to dictate price in the market. However, Mr. King said that Digicel tries to make the phone cards easily available - at most, five minutes away. This strategy, he said, serves as a disadvantage for retailers who are selling above the recommended price.
