The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

BAHAMIANS have weighed in on rising gas prices and how they believe the current situation is starting to hit the working class hardest.

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions from the United States to ban Russian oil imports has caused oil prices to skyrocket. The Tribune recently hit the streets to find out how the average citizen has been affected by the current crisis.

Sashuan Armbrister, a recent college graduate, said the oil crisis has already disrupted parts of his life. He said that with the country’s stagnant minimum wage it would be nearly impossible for young workers to cope with rising fuel costs.

“Basically, the increase in gas price is going to significantly impact how I live my daily life, mainly because the minimum wage in The Bahamas has not grown to accompany this raise in gas price,” he said. “How can anyone expect to live where the minimum wage of the nation that you are in doesn’t even compensate for the amount of gas that you have to spend going to the place of employment?”

While he is seriously considering buying a bicycle, Mr Armbrister also suggested that the government look into ways to improve public transport, such as the creation of bike lanes for the Bahamian people.

“How it’s going, the government might as well use some funds to incorporate proper bike lanes into the roads or the infrastructure so we can actually ride bikes since that’s going to be significantly cheaper than going to buy gas,” he said.

One person who asked to remain anonymous, had similar views as Mr Armbrister. He said that the hike in gas prices is hitting the working-class Bahamian hardest and that combined with the stagnant minimum wage some people are barely able to get by.

“I truly dislike that only the average Bahamian working class have to grapple with the rising cost of gas prices; seeing as gas is now more than the hourly minimum wage. “There are people that are barely getting by as it is with other cost of living prices (food, rent) and now they are also met with another increase in expenses.

“I want better for my country.”

Lacharo Nottage, a shopper at a local grocery store, said that he hasn’t really encountered any significant price increases in groceries, but that he is starting to feel the effects of the oil crisis.

“You really notice it on gas prices, like for example my parents live in Eleuthera and the island is more expensive than over here. So, the situation what going on, it really impacting us.”

Mr Nottage believes that there isn’t much the government can do to relieve the current situation and that The Bahamas should brace for its wider impact.

“Honestly the way things going there ain’t really much you can do because at the end of the day, regardless of the situation, it gone still impact us. That’s like the oil or what not it’s impacting things that you wouldn’t even think related, but just pray for the best.”