Barbadians have been vocal on the recent increases in fuel, flour and electricity which Chief Marketing Officer at the Barbados Light and Power Stephen Worme announced will go by ten percent by month end.
Many of the Nation’s online readers revealed that they have had to cut back spending especially at the supermarket. Some also admitted they have been feeling the pinch and have tightened their budgets, while others said they were not sure what else they could do as they were at their limit.
Here is what some our Facebook readers had to say on the issue.
Miranda Douglas said: “I had already started to cut back at the supermarket by just buying the necessities. When my light bill comes in this month I would determine what more cutting back I would have to do. All we can do is pray and hope for the best.”
Angel Blossoms: “What more cutting back get we as poor people do? Some can ‘t even afford the basic items like milk and biscuits etc. .Barbadians are willing to ad just to the hard economic times we are facing,but we hope when the price of oil is drop food prices will too.”
Paul Sivers: “People out there are just working now to pay bills. I really feel for those mothers out there who are really trying to make ends meet. Free bus fares but still can’t afford to send school the children. I am sure they would pay a dollar to send the kids to school if they can get a reduction in food things like hot dogs, tuna, mini sausages, chicken parts to make breakfast and lunch for the children and still take care of themselves. Government needs to wake up remember the first three promises, 1 cost of living 2 cost of living 3 cost of living. Enough said.”
Lisa Payne: “BL&P said the increase was ten per cent but by my calculations, my bill has increased by a whopping 25 per cent. And, an increase in electricity means an increase in all goods and services”
Alan Yearwood: “Only way prices come down is when demand drops. I’ll bet anyone a tank full of gas that if oil drops to $80 a barrel we’ll still be paying the same as today”.
Andre Holder said: “i hope the prices come back down when de fuel prices drop”.
Anderson Best: “I am at rock bottom, I can’t cutback no more.”
Raquel Gilkes: “Guyana has already lowered their excise and St. Vincent will soon follow, this is the model originated by Owen Arthur. When the BLP took office in 1994, excise on fuel was 89 cents a litre and oil was $15 a barrel; when the BLP left office, excise was 64 cents and oil was over $100 per barrel. Adjusting excise is a legitimate way to ease the burden on the consumer, keep inflation under control and manage the cost of living. Now we are paying $12 for a gallon of gas and the government is taking more than one third of that in tax, and let’s not even talk about the profit they are allowing the oil company to rake in”
Ashantia Howard: “Subsidising gas carried up the national debt which will have to be paid later in interest per year having far worse consequences”.
