The high cost of Bahamas life

As of Friday, February 7, 2020

EDITOR, The Tribune.

An international report places The Bahamas as Number six as the most expensive places to live. Is it equitable - fair?

Government is unwilling to increase minimum wage… a year ago they increased VAT to 12% and last quarter say they increased collections by a whopping $130m 33.7%. If VAT was up we must have imported considerably more than the previous year.

Excise up $20m plus…Trade Taxes up $30m…Gaming wow up $10m…Motor licensing basically same...Business Licence only up $4m (how that can be with VAT up so much and Trade and Excise also?)

Food most today has no duty but hard as hell to leave store without a $110 bill… Electricity, oh yes, the mostly costliest in the Caribbean… Clothing 100% over Miami as most other things… Diesel and Gasoline 100% more than Florida.

Air travel basic flying is probably no more than $10-$12.00, but Taxes and PSF/service fees and the US Pre-clearance pushes that up… Health costs out of control… insurances so high we really can’t afford them, but the property insurers want to make it compulsory after mortgage cleared that we all have cover – whose got $1,600-3,000.00 a year without Comprehensive…

As they would say the list goes on and no relief! It is a miracle so many survive!

ABRAHAM MOSS

Nassau,

February 5, 2020.

Porcupine 4 years, 2 months ago

This should be our leader's top priority. Why isn't it?

joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago

This country produces nothing and imports everything! What would you expect?

Labor costs are through the roof even for barely skilled workmen!

People expect to be paid what they think they are worth instead of what they actually bring to the table in knowledge and skill, while illegal immigration drives down the cost of wages and quality of life!

We have an uneducated, apathetic population that is barely literate and has virtually no deductive reasoning skills making decisions that trap them in untenable situations that exacerbate the effects of poverty.

The cost of living is high because government has to borrow to maintain the large social welfare net and maintain an over bloated civil service, while corrupt politicians act in their personal interest instead of the best interest of the country and the lazy unmotivated hoarde keep producing children they cannot afford while reveling in their ignorance and apathy.

Our leaders are not responsible for our personal decisions. Quite frankly, I'm surprised the cost of living is not higher!!

Porcupine 4 years, 2 months ago

If we look only at The Bahamas, I may agree. However, the entire system is completely flawed. The unprecedented economic disparity in the world would lead a thinking person to conclude that either the richest few are that much better than the rest of us, or something is inherently wrong with the system. Could it be rigged? Yes, we can improve our personal decisions. To look further into the many causes of suffering in this world takes research and honest inquiry. Otherwise, we remain ignorant and continue to blame the victim. Endemic corruption in a country has been shown to start at the very top, and move down over time into the entire population. Can we do better? Absolutely! But, if anything is to truly change, it requires people to inform themselves and shut down the machine. There are many, many lessons in history to support this claim. We are just too selfish and ignorant by choice to do anything but denigrate our brothers who do the actual suffering. Poke your head outside of The Bahamas once in a while and you will get a better perspective.

joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago

… after having traveled to all but three continents, and having lived in different cities on two of them I have come to one conclusion: no system contrived by man can create or force economic equity because the problem is that mans heart is evil because of sin. This causes an intense self-interest which when combined with power will create the necessary systems to perpetuate and fulfil its own self interest (state or individual). All failed human philosophies and political systems attest to this simple fact and only one thing can change it!

pileit 4 years, 2 months ago

I dunno, joeblo, I think I get what you're hinting at for "change".The plains Indians, Eskimos & Arawaks seemed to have a decent life going, surrounded by and coexisting with mother Earth, an occasional raid from a neighboring rival maintaining a balance.....they all ran into a particular philosophy that shat on the entire planet to this day... You suggesting their proffered religious end game will produce global peace?

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