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Do something to correct this situation

Feb 17, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter even though I feel strongly that nothing will change and life will go on as usual.
Everyone knows that we should make purchases using the metric system such as metre, litre and gram but this does not happen with the general populace.
We still ask for two pounds beef, one pint milk and a yard of cloth, using the colonial measuring system.
Should someone ask for two kilogrames beef, the butcher says he sells in pounds and not kilogrames even though he uses a metric scale. He sets the metric scale where he thinks he will give the pounds the customer asks for. All sellers do this.
I am grieved and annoyed every time I have to make a purchase that has to be weighed.  In the market I have issues all the time with sellers who short-weight me using the metric scale. When I complain, I am told the weight is correct because the scale is metric so they have to make deductions.
I do not know whether these sellers are willfully short weighing the stuff or they do not know how to adjust the scale correctly but I do know they never give over the weight, the customer always is given short weight.
Here are a few examples of how I was robbed of my right amount. In the Port Mourant market I asked for three pounds plantains. The one kg weight was used to give me my three- pound and when I said that I am short by nearly three quarters of a pound, an extra plantain was given. In the New Amsterdam market I was given one and a half pounds tomatoes for two pounds and three pounds bananas for four pounds. Go to the supermarket and the same metric scale is used. I now take what is given without saying anything, but I am still grieved because of the short weight. This does not happen if you buy a pint of milk as the pint cup is used or a yard of cloth as the yardstick is used.
I hope the relevant authorities will do something to correct this situation.
Either go back to the use of pound scale or give conversion tables to all concerned along with an education drive throughout the country all over again, since it seems the nation is still hooked on the imperial system.
In my opinion, ‘Guyana Goes Metric 1982″ has not brought about the necessary change and there should be a new drive all over again to stop this nonsense with metric scale weighing pound.
Ameer Bacchus

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