The Tribune

By Earyel Bowleg

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the government acknowledges Bahamians’ “serious concern” over inflation - and that it is investigating how to tackle costs.

He said yesterday: “We acknowledge inflation is a serious concern for Bahamians and, matter of fact, we are doing a deep dive right now in the entire supply chain and to see where through government policy, we can make an impact on some of the costs that we are experiencing, recognise what we say we know a lot of the increases are imported, but that does not mean we throw up our hands and do nothing.”

Mr Halkitis was speaking during the second reading and the committal of the Consumer Protection Bill, which was passed.

Senator Darren Henfield suggested a measure to help with healthy foods.

He said: “We should consider, seriously consider, zero rating healthy products because we spend a hell of a lot of money on healthcare in The Bahamas.

“My brother spoke about diabetes and you can add on to that hypertension and all of the rest of these, I forgot what kind of sicknesses - non communicable diseases that they call them.

“Obesity is like crazy, right, in our country. We are extremely obese. So minister, I know it’s not yours to do... but maybe your colleagues in the cabinet will hear me. Let’s look at possibly zero rating of healthy food products. We can do this and lower the food bills for Bahamians.

“We can do it and have less high blood, have less diabetes, less people on dialysis, less people having to take that medication every morning.

Meanwhile, Mr Halkitis noted that complaints to the Consumer Protection Commission have nearly tripled this year. He said 140 complaints have been made to the Consumer Protection Commission this year as of October 31.

“I am advised that complaints to the Consumer Protection Commission since last year have almost tripled. In 2022, 52 complaints were made to the commission. As this year as of the 31st of October, 2023, 140 complaints have been made to the Consumer Protection Commission with 27 complaints made in October alone.”

He cited the opening of a new commission location where there has been an increase in complaints made by people visiting the new premises. He said: “The public might know that the Consumer Protection Commission has moved to a new location on Tonique Williams Darling Highway and they have seen, I’m advised, an increase in the amount of walk-in complaints.”