Public Affair Food Price Debate Continues

As the food price debate continues, former Minister for Economics and Development, Zhivargo Laing and President of Mix 102, Don Martin continued their debate on their weekly talk show, Public Affairs Corner. Pictured are (left to right) Zhivargo Laing, Joseph Darville, Grand Bahama Human Rights Activist, Christopher Lowe, President of the GB Chamber of Commerce, Leigh Termath, local business women and owner of Curves Fitness Center and Bahama Buy & Sell and standing Don Martin.

FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND – On their weekly talk show, Public Affairs Corner, former Minister for Economics and Development, Zhivargo Laing and President of Mix 102, Don Martin continued discussions on the current “food price” issue in Grand Bahama. Food Prices have for the last two weeks dominated the headlines in the media as shopping at home has become a frightening issue for many Grand Bahamians living in the current economy.

Joining the hosts on this week show were Joseph Darville, Grand Bahama Human Rights Activist, Christopher Lowe, President of the GB Chamber of Commerce and Leigh Termath, local business women and owner of Curves Fitness Center and Bahama Buy & Sell. The panelist joined the hosts to try and address why food prices as the Winn Dixie supermarket stores, now under new ownership, were rising so often and so sharply

Laing, who has been researching this issue for several months, noted that in his shopping comparisons he found that the supermarket stores prices were sometimes 18% higher than its local competitors in Freeport. In comparisons to the US the prices averaged 42% higher. Laing stressed “Grand Bahama residents must realize that Grand Bahama food store prices at Winn Dixie were not being dictated by local mangers but my their Nassau headquarters.”

He also dispelled the notion that most Grand Bahamians held that different Winn Dixie stores had different prices. For example many believe that the Eight Mile Rock and Downtown Winn Dixie stores prices are cheaper than the Lucaya store. He noted that surveys he conducted did not support such a notion.

During the show many insightful comments were made but the most consistent point was the new owners lacked of concern for the prevailing economic circumstances in Freeport and the inability of low to middle-income families to afford the prices they were imposing. Joseph Darville reiterated that a young family of four could in no way feed their family a well-balanced meal given the fact that prices were being raised so high.

Leigh Termath, who represented the busy working woman, said she shops on the weekends and now spends her Saturdays driving from one store to another trying to find the best prices as well as find simple products that seem not to be available at the Winn Dixie stores since it changed hands. Termath remarked on the show “going to the supermarket used to be a fun family activity but now it’s become a chore and I leave frustrated and mad about the rising prices on simple everyday products.”

During the show many residents called in with their comments. One local shopper noted that before the holidays while in the US he purchased a gallon of Hawaiian Punch for a dollar but when he went last week to buy the same product here it was $9.99. The panel who were shocked by the price comparison was soon laughing, as the caller noted in must have been a “price accident”!

Before the show concluded Christopher Lowe, speaking as a business owner and Chamber President commented on the fact that any business has to be cognizant of it’s customer’s needs and their capabilities, without them stores would have no business. But he was quick to note that he and others are truly working to meet the needs of local shoppers and their budget constraints and did not want to encourage persons to shop abroad but to shop around for the best price at home.

Public Affairs Corner will continue the debate on this subject as it attempts to have owners of the food chain on the show and strives to bring important subjects and concerns to the forefront of public debate. Interested persons can tune in weekly to the show on Mix 102.1 from 9am to 10am on Tuesdays and are welcomed to call or fax in their comments.