Dear BP,
Bahamians and visitors are constantly grappling with the high cost of living in the Bahamas. This is a matter of inconvenience and a pressing issue affecting our lifestyles and mental health. Despite government efforts to mitigate the impact of high food prices and inflation, the principal architects of our food prices, the price gougers, continue to thrive, charging us exorbitant prices for the most basic necessities.
Although price controls exist for many items, price gouging affects many areas of commerce, which Bahamians navigate with trepidation each day. Indeed, there is no area where we purchase food or goods unaffected. That’s a real problem because while we were distracted by trying to stretch our dollars to feed our families, the gougers were up to no good in all other areas, such as furniture, household goods, clothing, medicine, medical services, vision care, airline tickets you name it, price gouging can be detected. So, you may ask what price gouging is.
Price gouging is the practice of raising prices on essential goods or services to an unfair or excessive level, often in response to a sudden increase in demand or a supply shortage. This typically occurs during emergencies, such as natural disasters or crises, when consumers are most vulnerable.
For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some sellers drastically increased the prices of hand sanitisers and face masks, taking advantage of the high demand and limited availability. Bahamians were victims of this hellish scenario.
It’s important to note that many jurisdictions, including ours, have laws against price gouging. These laws protect consumers from being exploited during such times, providing security and reassurance in the face of such unethical practices. For example, The Consumer Protection Act, 2006 of The Bahamas safeguards consumers from unfair practices and ensures they receive value for the goods and services they purchase.
The Act addresses several key areas:
Protection from Hazards: Ensures that goods and services do not pose health or safety risks to consumers; Consumer Education: Promotes awareness and education about consumer rights and responsibilities.
Fair Trading: Merchants and service providers must engage in fair and transparent practices. Complaints and Redress: Provides mechanisms for consumers to file complaints and resolve grievances.
Regulation of Prices: Includes provisions for price control on essential goods to prevent price gouging.
The Act also established the Consumer Protection Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the Act and addressing consumer concerns. Yet, the lack of culprits being brought before the courts raises serious questions about enforcing consumer protection laws in the Bahamas. Why do the authorities seem unwilling or unable to bring relief when consumers across the entire economy can detect obscene daily price rises? It’s time for our rights as consumers to be upheld.
Is there a consumer laws enforcement arm, and if so, what is the Minister responsible doing to ensure that they are performing their jobs and that Bahamian consumers and residents are protected from predatory pricing practices?
High prices and their effect on the Bahamian way of life resonate with Bahamians at all socioeconomic levels. It is time for the consumer protection officers to leave those air-conditioned offices, get into their taxpayer-provided vehicles, and get to work. Take some experienced Customs officers with you; they know all about tariffs and shipping costs. It is dangerous to appear to ignore our outrage.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Brown
