Government Minister Advises Against Seeking Discounts from Friends and Family Running Small Businesses

A Government Minister is chastising people trying to get discounts from their friends and family who are running small businesses.

Giving remarks during the launch of FundAccess’ Keeping It Real initiative yesterday at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, Minister of Energy and Business Development Senator Lisa Cummins advised small and micro business owners not to get into the habit of negotiating prices, even for those they knew or were related to.

“I want to keep it real in the public space. If I go into an establishment on Broad Street, I look at the prices on the shelves and ask, ‘Can I afford it?’ If I go into any store overseas, I make a decision, ‘Can my pocket absorb it?’ The point is, I pay the price that is asked, once I can afford it.

“But if you are engaging with small business people, especially those who are friends and family, you want to have negotiations over price. I think it is an unfair and unrealistic thing for us to do to people who are trying to [build a business],” she said.