I used to buy fish from the amateur fishermen at Punggol beach at a low price, like $5 per kg for fresh almost-live groupers and then re-sell them for $20 per kg.

 

My buyers, regulars who did not fancy going to the wet market (where the fish are not fresh enough for them anyway) did not ask me how much I paid for the groupers I offered to him for sale.

 

They were just pleased the fish was fresh and they did not have to make that trip to the smelly old wet market for their fish.

 

It was totally un-transparent. He did not ask me to be transparent nor did he ask me to explain why I charged him $20. And, believe it or not, MAS did not require me to tell my customers how I arrived at the price of $20. 

 

But  I have given up buying and selling groupers because I hate the unearthly hours in this fishy business I was in.  I have  turned over a new leaf and got into this business of helping working mothers cope and unemployed mothers from the neighbouring countries find work.

 

 

 

I have beeen buying maid insurance for the benefit of these mostly working mothers who hire the unemployed mothers (or single women too, I do not discriminate between married and single women) for $40.00. I do not charge my client the working mother for this.

 

Suddenly the insurance companies that used to be at each other's throats and undercutting each other suddenly realise they have been suckers to sell their groupers for $5.00 per kg when they can charge re-sellers $22.50 per kg, take it or leave it.

 

Whereas in the the fishermen would compete now they gang up together by forming a cartel. Now they all charge

 

When I pay the insurance company agent