By Mark DaCosta- The Alliance For Change (AFC) issued a press statement on July 14, 2026, calling for closer monitoring of foreign-operated supermarkets and stores across Guyana, citing a raft of apparent violations spanning consumer protection, taxation, labour rights, and food safety. The party contends that many of these enterprises — particularly those owned by Chinese or Brazilian nationals — are operating with impunity, flouting the very statutes designed to safeguard our people, our workforce, and the public purse.
At the heart of the AFC’s concerns lies the sale of food products reportedly devoid of English-language labelling and expiry or “best by” dates. Under the Food and Drugs Act (Chapter 34:03) and its subsidiary Food and Drugs Regulations, all pre-packaged food must carry a label showing, among other facts, “the expiry date or date mark required by these Regulations,” together with a complete list of ingredients, the name and address of the manufacturer, and storage instructions.
The Regulations define “expiry date” as “any date after which the manufacturer or packager of a food does not guarantee the quality or any other property of the food.” The absence of such information – if shown to be true – not only deceives the consumer but also constitutes a direct contravention of the Act’s mandate to prevent injury to health. As the AFC warns, “The health of our people is being put at risk.”
The party further alleges that many Chinese and Brazilian outlets routinely fail to issue receipts to customers. This practice, if it is true, is not merely discourteous; it is unlawful. Section 18 of the Consumer Affairs Act 2011 (Act No. 13 of 2011) stipulates that “when a supplier sells goods or services to a consumer, the supplier shall give to the consumer a receipt setting out the purchase price and value added tax separately as paid by the consumer, the date on which the purchase is made, and a description of the goods sold or services provided.” A supplier who contravenes this subsection commits an offence. Related to the foregoing, the AFC makes the following link; “these businesses gross millions and could be fueling massive tax evasion and even money laundering.
One notes that The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 imposes stringent obligations on reporting entities to maintain records and report suspicious transactions; cash-intensive businesses that are proven to deliberately suppress sales records undermine both the Income Tax Act (Chapter 81:01) and the integrity of our financial system.
The AFC’s statement also shines a harsh light on the alleged treatment of workers within some of these foreign-operated establishments. It is alleged that staff are subjected to “inhumane treatment,” with washrooms not separated for males and females and no lunchroom provided. These conditions, if proven, offend the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Chapter 99:06), which requires every industrial establishment to provide and maintain “suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences” and, where workers take meals on the premises, “suitable and sufficient facilities for the taking of those meals.”
The Act further mandates separate accommodation for clothing where male and female workers are employed. The AFC notes that “staff also report that their lunch period is 20 minutes or less at some stores,” yet the Labour Act (Chapter 98:01) and established practice require that employees who work more than five consecutive hours must receive at least a 60-minute uninterrupted meal break.
The party further alleges that working hours are long with no overtime paid, and that NIS contributions are reportedly not remitted. The Labour Act entitles workers to overtime at premium rates — time-and-a-half on weekdays, double-time on Sundays, and double-time plus a day off for public holiday work — while the National Insurance and Social Security Act makes it compulsory for employers to deduct and remit contributions, with the employer bearing 8.4 per cent and the employee 5.6 per cent of insurable earnings.
Failure to register employees or remit contributions exposes an employer to penalties, surcharges, and legal action. The additional claim that most staff are reportedly paid in cash with no pay slips issued contravenes the Income Tax Act’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) regulations, which require employers to maintain accurate payroll records and issue documentation of remuneration.
In its concluding remarks, the AFC calls upon the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Labour, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, the National Insurance Scheme, the Food and Drug Administration, and the responsible Minister of Government to “carry out a national campaign to bring all stores and supermarkets into compliance,” insisting that “the Responsible Minister of Government must ensure these exercises are carried out year-round.”
