Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
IN a bid to strengthen the fight against non-communicable diseases, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands revealed last night the adjustments that will likely be made to the price-controlled breadbasket list in the next fiscal year.
The shift would impact the cost of current items on the list like corned beef and canned soups and new items like almond milk and oatmeal, however the changes await final approval from Cabinet.
In addition, the Ministry of Health, following recommendations from experts, will separately recommend to Cabinet that a consumption tax be imposed on the fast-food industry, although Dr Sands stressed in an interview with The Tribune that this is a very long way from becoming policy.
“It is a bit of of a push for the Ministry of Health to be dictating fiscal policy to the Ministry of Finance,” he said. “It is a suggestion at this point.”
Taxing the fast-food industry was recommended by experts who participated in a government-organised breadbasket forum last year.
Dr Sands previously told reporters his ministry will recommend to Cabinet that a “sin” tax be levied to pay for National Health Insurance (NHI).
He discussed the likely new breadbasket list yesterday evening during a town-hall at the TG Glover Primary School.
The national breadbasket became law in 1971; it became illegal to sell the featured items above a maximum allowed price.
It is illegal for wholesalers to increase prices on the items more than 18 percent and for retailers to markup prices more than 23 percent, according to Dr Sands.
Breaking the law carries a fine of no more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than a year.
Some experts believe the initiative made staple foods affordable but placed too much focus on food energy supply rather than nutritional value.
The items likely to be removed from the breadbasket list are margarine, mayonnaise, corned beef, canned meats, canned soups, broths, condensed milk and sugar.
The items likely to be included are beans and peas, raw almonds, raw cashews, fresh oranges, fresh apples, root crops, oatmeal, as well as tuna, sardine and mackerel canned in water.
Some of the items that will remain on the list will be subject to greater specification, allowing affordable purchases of only certain kinds of staple products.
These will likely include no fat, low fat and two per cent fat evaporated milk options as well as organic and non-organic fresh eggs; it will likely include trans fat free, low fat, olive oil, unsalted and vegan butters and one percent, two percent soy and almond fresh milk. Whole grain and brown rice are also on the list Dr Sands revealed yesterday as well as whole grain and whole-wheat bread options. The list also contains unbleached white, gluten-free, whole-wheat, spelt, quinoa, coconut and rice flours and options for monounsaturated cooking oils such as canola, coconut and extra virgin olive oils.
Dr Sands said the Price Control Commission has evaluated the practical impact the shift could have on the diet of Bahamians.
“Price Control Commission has done some real world evaluations on the breadbasket items and they have priced breakfast items, lunch menus and dinner menus on current breadbasket items,” he said. “A current breakfast might be steamed tuna with scrambled eggs, yellow grits and white toast; lunch could be vegetable soup in a can, dinner could be corn-beef and white rice. A comparative menu on the new breadbasket at the same price could be for breakfast a western omelette, onion, green peppers, tomatoes with whole grain toast or yellow grits, an orange or an apple and fever-grass; lunch could be homemade vegetable soup with apple or orange and infused water; dinner could be stir-fried salmon in water with a choice of oil, cassava, sweet potato, brown rice or cabbage or garlic roasted potatoes. There is no question about the difference in nutritional value of the second set of meals. Those have been compared in terms of price and structure. We’ve costed out meal options and this is before the elimination of value-added tax. The idea is we have acknowledged there are many people struggling to pay their food bill and it is in part because of this and price control is on some of the most deadly items that exist that we feel this is a timely initiative.”
The Minnis administration intends to remove VAT from breadbasket items in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, fulfilling a long-held promise of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
Dr Sands acknowledged the strong preference Bahamians may have for some items on the current breadbasket list but, aside from slight variations that may be made to the final list, affirmed the government’s commitment to making the adjustments.
He said: “How you could tell me price control off of corn beef, (some might ask). I mean this is an anti-Bahamian initiative hey? It is not that corn beef will not be available, it’s just that we don’t believe it should be price protected. The right to make choices is enshrined in who we are as a free nation and a democracy. The idea is that we should not provide a financial incentive to eat poorly but that is the type of incentive that exists now. Many of the things that are on the breadbasket are encouraging people to drink sugar-sweetened beverages which in many instances are less expensive than water. The idea is that you cannot entirely eliminate choice but you have to make the responsible choice easier and less expensive.”
Dr Sands said the government is considering banning sugar-sweetened beverages from schools and adjusting the school lunch programme, though it is not clear when a final decision will be made on these issues.
Comments
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
Regrettably, most of the young people in this country lack the skill set to work outside of the fast food industry. Casual observation (and listening to their conversations while waiting in line) shows that most of them are single young mothers.
Excessive taxes on that industry will inevitably lead to layoffs as the companies streamline their operations to increase efficiency and reduce expenditure. What will these unprepared young people do??
Why is governments response to a problem always to increase taxes? Why doesn't Dr Sands try to save money in healthcare by reducing waste and improving efficiency in the MOH and PHA first?
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 7 months ago
Not sure about the observation on "most" without census numbers but anyway, the solution is not to ease up n taxes so single poorly educated mothers can get jobs at fast food restaurants. The solution is to educate people post high school so they can gradually move up the ladder. Maybe give fast food restaurants incentives to put on educational courses for their employees, from basic math and English to business and low level tech.
So many ideas, yet the 34 men came in with nothing other than "blame the other people". The solutions are in us, the Bahamians living right here in the Bahamas.
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
It is important to recognize that most young people do not know the value of education, that is why they fail to take advantage of the opportunities they are given. They are enamored with other things. Additionally, post high school education has to be on a foundation of a high school education first! Most young women appreciate the value of an education more AFTER they have children and see how difficult it is to get sensible employment. This is what accounts for the high levels of females in post high school vocational courses! The point is that without persons being interested in getting the education needed to make lives better for themselves in a country that gives them opportunity to do so must leave a segment of our society requiring entry level jobs in fast food etc.
Now concerning my "observation" regarding "most", try asking some of the young female cashiers (since they are mostly young females) in fast food places how many of the workers there are unmarried with children and reflect on their answers!
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 7 months ago
Yeah Im not disagreeing with you, I'm saying it's just not clear cut. I could go in a bar for example and say most young men in the Bahamas are drunks. It could be true, who knows, I just happen to be in a place where it's "more likely" for most of the young men present to have a drinking problem.
Yes, I also agree with you, many young people waste their time in school and realize too late the importance of an education. That's my point, offer them the classes right there at their workplace basic math, basic English. Put incentives on getting good grades. There will also be persons who have basic math and English who can benefit from other courses like business and tech. I know a young lady who dropped out of govt school after having a children her gpa was above 3.0.
And deportment.
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
We can never find an adequate substitute for the nuclear family. The problem is that when you have a proliferation of single parent homes the focus is on trying to survive. Parents may want to but are unable to give children the time and attention they need to develop properly and an important part of child-rearing is teaching children to set goals, think long term, to delay gratification and make good choices. Left to themselves and the media, children do not learn these skills and their mistakes rob them of the opportunity to progress in life. I have said before we need a national re socialization programme to teach people how to think like adults , assume responsibility and reduce single parent homes. Until then we are simply wasting time!
UserOne 6 years, 7 months ago
joeblow you clearly have an issue with single mothers. It may surprise you to know they don't get pregnant on their own.
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
Guessing you are not understanding the context of the comments made! The issue is not about single mothers, but low entry jobs and how increases in taxes would make it more difficult for some of them to find jobs. Sorry you missed that!
John 6 years, 7 months ago
Bahamians been eating corned beef as a staple since Dey born and corned beef and white rice is all some Bahamians can afford. A crack conch snack costs $12.70 and boil fish or a fish dinner is upwards of $15.00. And many restaurants are serving talapia that many deem unfit for human consumption. We brag about exporting $70 Millon in seafood annually but the average Bahamian family cannot afford a meal of fresh caught fish a week. Well maybe on some Family Islands. And canned goods like corned beef and tuna are the first things Bahamians grab when a hurricane is traveling, and battery operated fans. If the normal Bahamian diet was making people sick and dead then the problem would be more on the Family Islands. Proper Education and diet management is the key. The diet requirements of a person actively working in the sun will be different from someone sitting in an air conditioned office sipping coffee on all day.
watcher 6 years, 7 months ago
All good points John. There will also have to be a massive re-education program, as the people eating the likes of corned beef will not know what benefits there are to changing their diets. I also suspect that the supermarkets will not only lift up the prices of these staples (corned beef etc) once they are no longer in the breadbasket, but will also at the same time keep the "new" staples (almonds, apples etc) at their already high prices. Lose-lose for the poor, win-win for the rich. Same as it ever was.......
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
The policies proposed here by Dr Sands are long overdue. It is an undeniable fact that both fast food and the current mix of bread basket items are hazardous to the health and well being of Bahamians.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
The government's comrades that came up with advising their minister be charging the poor and near poor - more to buy they's breadbasket cans corned beef - should be imprisoned for minimum 5-years hard-labour, Why not put a 20% luxury foods tax on prime ribs and use it lower the price cans corned beef by 50% off current store shelves prices? Put a 50% luxury tax on all poodle dog pet products cause try naming just one poor or near poor person you knows who owns a pet poodle?
ohdrap4 6 years, 7 months ago
taxing pet food is stupid. they tried that. people just abandoned pets left right and center.
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
Another simple idea is that all residential construction should have a mandatory garden with a specified number of fruit and vegetables that have to be planted on the property before the occupancy certificate is given. A list of antioxidant and other benefits should be available to potential homeowners on the Ministry of Agriculture website so that potential homeowners can choose from that list! This could encourage small scale gardening that would lower the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables for those who maintain those gardens.
We need low cost solutions not more taxes for the government to waste!
bogart 6 years, 7 months ago
...with diet comes Exercise.....just as equally or moreso important. There should also be the creation of public parks, for walkers, joggers etc and preferably where louts do not walk viscious dogs.. sometimes running loose... thinking that because the animals do not bite them (louts) they will not attack others passers by who cringe in fear when these dogs are running loose....then again we should also have laws for owners to also clean up aftrr them
John 6 years, 7 months ago
Teach them young set how to bark almond and coconut, and to climb the ju ju and dilly tree. Even a bad diet mixed with fresh, natural grown tings will not be so damaging and unhealthy. Every yard use to have a lime or sour orange tree. Citrus cuts fatty foods and keeps the arteries clear. Limes in the food store cost 89 cents each.
Dawes 6 years, 7 months ago
From what i can read, Govt should do nothing to change the bread basket items. Leave it as is and wait until more people come in with health issues. So what if people lead a less health life and do not make it out of their 50s. Yet again people are jumping on the anti whatever the govt does bandwagon without seeing the outcome. Surely improving the health of the citizens is a must for government.
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 7 months ago
No the govt SHOULD adjust the bread basket items. If there's a legitimate argument on negative effects on fast food places then prepare the fast food people to take other jobs. Don't be like the new car sales people who been decrying used car sales for a decade.
Dawes 6 years, 7 months ago
They should adjust the breadbasket items to healthier items AND tax the fast food places. Government needs to use both the carrot and the stick to encourage us to live a healthier life.
OMG 6 years, 7 months ago
Price control- you are joking ! Prices go up daily and the problem with people like the Minister making stipulations on healthy diet foods is that he and others have salaries that can pay the ridiculous prices for almost all food items. Minister many Bahamians are struggling just to eat basics let alone anything that you deem "they should like" Take breakfast cereal where the price of name brands makes them a luxury so what happens is the cheap generic brands follow suit. We are already taxed to the hilt.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago
Make oatmeal free ......... apples and oranges 5 cents each ....... a soda for $5 ......... a Wendy's burger for $10 ......... and a Popeyes/KFC 2-piece for $20 ...... and a Dominos pizza for $50 ........... Case solved.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Ma Comrades does it not puzzle you why no modern day health minister has ever advocated to put at least one goat in every backyard - and in rare case of say your neighbour not using their government mandated goat space - the neighbour should automatically be granted free usage and provided with un-incumbent walkway access such space..... Is it just me conflicted on way under the UBP government, most citizens and residents had goat ownership but here we are long since majority government rule and still not mandated at least one goat for every backyard, and why not... are we not moving goat backwards?
rawbahamian 6 years, 7 months ago
I have read the responses to the article and most of them mention and focus on single parents. This leads me to believe that in depth sex education along with parenting classes need to be mandatory in high school and teach the air headed girls that men cannot get pregnant and that getting pregnant as a single woman does not prove you love him as he tells you, it only proves that you are as STUPID as he thinks you are. So shut your legs and open your minds to achieve more out of life instead of going to court to make your "baby daddies" pay child support !
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 7 months ago
If you retrain the ones who got pregnant they'll do a much better job than a stranger teaching their kids. Those kids are most at risk to repeat the parent's mistake.
bogart 6 years, 7 months ago
Is the Bahamas Price Controlled Commission that much out of touch with the reality of poor Bahamians that they left oft BOLOGNA and SAUSAGES THAT POOR BAHAMIANS EAT.??.....wid all the pink meat and unprounancable long names of chemicals......muddda sic !!!.....bey like I mussey need to go see the govt to get ya bey strait fer one a dem jobs where dey dont eats like pore people catchin hell, scrappin tryin to make ends meet....cant do without me morning saussage an grits wid lil watery tomato paste sause top ma hot steaming grits...muddoes
ohdrap4 6 years, 7 months ago
bologna and sausages are not price controlled. neither is boxed macaroni and cheese.
the thing about the milk is stupid, low fat milk is worse for diabetics than full fat milk.
they made shrimp and salmon duty free, i have not see one cent difference in price.
canola oil is genetically modified food, they price controlled it.
corn oil , whcich is much healthier, apparently has been left off,
Socrates 6 years, 7 months ago
not a believer in price control, but since we are hell-bent on artificially setting prices, despite how well intentioned from a health perspective this initiative might be, it would impact the poor man's diet as even with price control, fruit and vegetables are still super expensive and they are perishable, so the loss rate is high if not consumed fairly quickly. people who have limited funds and mouths to feed, can't afford to throw food away.
ohdrap4 6 years, 7 months ago
Can someone "splain" to me how they could tax a fast food place?
I can go to any number of places that are NOT fast food chain and buy chicken in the bag, crack conch and fries. Many also sell hamburgers. It will be a boom to their business.
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