Do we keep the cost of living down or do we protect a handful of local jobs?
The issue is a difficult one for most Bahamians to consider objectively.
On the one hand, we feel no reluctance to bring back goods from Miami as personal baggage, including items for resale. On the other, we complain about cheap imports putting us out of a job.
On the one hand we complain about high prices in the food stores, and on the other we demand restrictive tariffs on competitive imports.
On the one hand we complain about foreign subsidies, and on the other we demand similar subsidies from our own government … at significant cost to the tax payer.
There has to be a trade-off. We cannot have our cake (or chicken pot pie) and eat it too.
For a variety of reasons, the United States can produce incredibly cheap chicken which can help ease the grocery budgets of thousands of Bahamian consumers. But putting this inexpensive protein on our shelves threatens the livlihood of local chicken producers. In fact, it has already put Gladstone Farms out of business.
It is a question of economics. Does it make sense for us to prop up a small, inefficient and failing industry? Or is it more reasonable to keep the cost of living down? For those of you with Solomonic wisdom, make your choice now.
Editorial, The Nassau Guardian
