High cost to live! $100 now only gets you one bag at the store — Smith
Territorial At-Large Representative Neville Smith has suggested that there may be too much fluctuation in the prices of items on the shelves of grocery stores today.
“If the price is $6 now, tonight, in the morning, the price is $8. Then the next day, the price change again,” Smith told legislators while speaking in the House of Assembly (HOA) recently.
Elected officials were at the time debating an extension to a reduction in Customs duties to ease the cost-of-living burden being experienced by residents amidst rising global prices.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley assured at the time that his government will design a system that will ensure concessions given to businesses — to provide relief to consumers — will be passed on to those consumers.
“We’ll look at a specific basket of goods that we want to provide some relief for, not necessarily luxury items, etcetera, and we’ll ensure that those savings are passed on,” the Premier said.
Smith, in the meantime, argued that unless legislators put mitigation measures in place to keep an eye on what is taking place, such price fluctuations will continue to happen again.
“You cannot go in the supermarket and buy anything for $100 anymore. With $100, you come away with one bag,” Smith stated. “So we have to make sure that this happens because there’s a lot of people really suffering over this.”
“I’m a business person as well, I have to pay the taxes. I have to pay the duty,” he stated. “But we have to make sure that when we get this break, we also give the break to the customers. We have to.”
Not a ‘one step dance’
Smith also told legislators that the process could not be a ‘one-step dance’, arguing that legislators need to remain focused on the issue in order to ensure it is fixed.
“Sometimes you might have to make some adjustments, but we can’t expect just to come to this House and pass it; give the five per cent and expect it going to work, just like that,” Smith stated.
He continued: “It’s not going to. This is something that we need to keep on and we need to have reports coming on how it’s being done, how it’s working. We have to follow it.”
Smith urged his fellow legislators to ensure they continue to monitor and to ensure that the government’s promised 5 per cent reduction in duty “reaches where it’s supposed to go”.
“There’s a lot of people suffering in this place. Prices are really ridiculous,” Smith said.
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Isn’t this the same man who said and I quote “ the Bvi does not have poverty and poor people” . Go siddung!!! Waste of time
And when you think NHI will help you when you sick is a lie. Imagine NHI not covering overseas testing the service are not being provided locally and you must do it overseas, just testing and they don’t want to cover some of the cost.
And what happens to the people that don’t have $100 to start with! Senior citizens in dire need but are pushed back and told to wait…. I have been waiting for years and been ignored for years. Was in hopes that the new system put in place would be a better solution. HA always leave room for disappointment.
Politicians in the BVI comment in the House and on their Facebook pages as if they are spectators rather than in a position to make a difference.
We need them to step up and set policies now – not in the future, to make the changes we need.
Be proactive with the problems be it roads, banking, food prices, sewerage, water, pollution etc. etc.
Are the corrupt leaders of this country..400 million per year wasted..
“But we have to make sure that when we get this break, we also give the break to the customers. We have to.
So the businesses are paying less duty (equates to more profit), and you’re expecting them to just give a break because they have a good heart?
Only people who gets a break are the ones who do the importing, obviously.
How did the comments here get soooooo far off the point, Neville Smith was trying to make.
i was in RW today and I witnessed people seriously debating about buying “fresh” chicken. I mean for many minutes, and I debated too, I do not even like chicken, but the beef prices have tripled so I can not afford beef.
If you asked RW, I am sure they are suffering from lower sales, yet they continue to raise the prices on EVERYTHING.
These businesses, need to give seniors a break, as should all the other utilities. Social Security needs to review the amounts paid to persons who faithfully paid in. Just because they are getting older does not mean they do not have to eat, or have a phone, or have internet or pay electricity.
You can judge a society on how they treat their elders and their animals. Come on BVI, time for Social Security to pay an amount that seniors can actually LIVE on and not be starving on, or living without electricity.
review the salary of pensions, you create a pension of 200, 300, and 700 dollars you can survive, the government together with social security have to review pension salaries make an increase of 10 percent or a minimum of one thousand one hundred dollars monthly
What freaking world as this foo been living in??? $100 can’t buy much for quite a while now…..So out of touch. Is best he just stfu!!
The Premier looks at those guys in a rather interesting way (-:)
Pay into NHI
And then all of you want to know the guys out here trying to make it with hustling. I laugh.
The greedy bill must go!
Every election someone has something to say about some social ills that has long been plaguing our society…s@&% on repeat. I don’t want to hear NOTHING, if you are not pushing the solution behind it. DO SOMETHING OR SHUT UP! AH TIREDDDDD!
All them contracts he get. He should help people buy their groceries
Why don’t Sheep just go back to f@*king sleep where ever Sl Wande found him and woke him up. He look like the sleep still in his eyes. Waste of time. What solution is he exactly putting on the table? F&cking I&*ot
Building a country by importing and installing the poor and needy to the extent that they have become the majority population is sure death by starvation of mind body and soul of a country.
Nothing can save VI from its near sighted stupidity. Least of all lowering taxes and fees.It’s all downhill. Just another amoral poor dry weather self imposed fatality in the Caribbean.
You can eat well for $20 a week. Just dont buy crap.
im lost for words that he noticed too
If he was the person that said it, aren’t you glad he has seen the light. That is why the Bible says pray for those in authority so things can be peaceful. Let them have revelations so things can be better.
We need our outstanding increments to help with these cost.
Only pure talk and never delivers pure Skullduggery and always working against the people only in it for there selfish gain
Yup he’s the same guy who said we have no poor….
Your government has raised the costs due to increased wharfage and port fees. Some up to 500% in the past year. That is passed along to YOU as the consumer.
Thank your government for the high grocery prices.
I agree. Eating grass, roots, and bark is very nutritious
I guess the dislikes are NHI favorite person(s) disliking the truth. Are you getting double benefits?
I shop in OM and RW and RW has never passed a cent on. Prices just keep rising and I’m pretty sure they’re still making a lot of money, probably more money than last year all under the guise of inflation! I don’t know if anyone else noticed all the foreign managers they sent over, that seemed to have disappeared- this is all money! Our government needs to do something NOW to stop foreign companies like RW profiting of the backs of local people. We can’t take anymore, if RW don’t listen I’ll be voting with my 2 foot dem
You just wake up
I thought the BVI did bot have poor people. When people prioritize popularity over competence you end up with a sheep…
You’re right, we should just stick to dealing with OM profiting off our backs. Maybe I can open a store and not post prices on anything. That way I can increase them six times a day.
Imagine only Bobby’s Market Place one can shop n not get a stroke from the Prices. I went in a Certain well known shop n bought a Cereal it was $7.56 n when i went they charged me $11.99, i did not put it back, only because i needed it. ALL those shops r getting their stuff from the same Supplier n wants to Kill de Poorman, the Struggling Moms n other unfortunate Persons with these exuberant prices. Come on man Do Better!!!!
Someone got to do something about these crazy prices. Spanish girl raised her price $50 for SAME old stuff. Govt needs to step in and control ALL prices.