The Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce yesterday called for a State investigation into shipping agents and representatives of foreign line carriers whom it says have increasingly been char­ging consumers, importers and busines­ses local fees in US dollars despite a “severe” foreign exchange shortage.

In a release yesterday, the chamber said that stakeholders were becoming concerned over such entities charging local admi­n­istrative and amendment fees in US dollars, even as the Trinidad and Tobago dollar remains the legal tender of the country.

The chamber said it was understood that international ocean freight charges paid directly to foreign line carriers may be legiti­mately charged in US dollars due to international shipping conventions.