Prices in Jamaica!

[Historian]

I am one of those men who admire and respect a “well-put-together” woman. I have always been this way, including the “dark days” of growing up as a little boy and hearing Rasta men utter nonsensical metaphors like “war paint” (for the “makeup” that is done by women).

Given the tough economic times faced by people in Jamaica (and, of course, all over the world), my question now is how will the average Jamaican woman manage financial to keep herself looking really classy as she used to while at the same time caring for a family and meeting the regular basic needs of her home? And I’m referring here to the modern, classy woman’s regular visits to the hairdresser, gym, etc.

Here are some basic food prices today in Jamaica (all quoted prices are, obviously, in Jamaican dollars):
Roll of tissue: $40
Loaf of bread: $200
Two-pound pack of rice: almost $200 (for the cheap brand)
Small chicken: $380

Has Jamaica become a home for the wealthy only? Even more frightening, with the economic crisis now not only limited to Jamaica, the age-old option of migrating to greener pastures (that is, migrating to any other country aside from Haiti and Guyana) is now fast becoming no longer an option!

[Gamma]

just watch dem and see...they WILL find a way!

[Historian]

just watch dem and see...they WILL find a way!

I suspect they will, Gamma, which brings us to another set of possible "worries" as women seek to find a way: (a) increased migration or (b)another alternative which makes me blush merely by thinking about it!

This is not good at all.

[HL]

What about is price control in Jamaica?

Is there an agency that regulates prices? 'Specially with the constant rise and fall in gas/oil prices.

[Historian]

What about is price control in Jamaica? Is there an agency that regulates prices? 'Specially with the constant rise and fall in gas/oil prices.

Excellent question, HL. It seems to me, however, that price control regulatory bodies play virtually no role in 21st century free market style capitalism in the Caribbean! Those bodies are not extinct as yet, but trust me when I say that the same apparent non-existence of regulatory bodies exists elsewhere throughout the Caribbean!

This is all so ridiculous, and government leaders act as if they exist on a different planet from their citizens! So while some are busy getting implicated in alleged rape incidents (example, Gonsalves of St Vincent & the Grenadines and Missick of the Turks & Caicos Islands), others continue in their persuance of outdated policies and practices (example the PPP's Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana) or act as if there are no really pressing issues in their nation (example Golding of Jamaica).

[Willi]

What about is price control in Jamaica?

Is there an agency that regulates prices? 'Specially with the constant rise and fall in gas/oil prices.

Who regulates gas price in America. Last year Oil price was the same as now, but back then it cost $2.50 a gallon! Now....

[Mosiah]

HL can ask some questions some times yuh see. When yuh tun it back pon him, yuh nuh hear from him fi DAZE!

[Willi]

HL can ask some questions some times yuh see. When yuh tun it back pon him, yuh nuh hear from him fi DAZE!

I was not being faceitious. Globally, everybody have problems now.

Funniest thing I just read was GENIUS saying that if he was still MoF, he would boost agro production. Hahahahahaahah.


Whether the present crew is good or not, we have to face the fact that PNP dropped the ball. During the "good" times they should have been dealing with agriculture and alternative energy supplies. Instead the did nothing (or very little), while I was bawling right here for said policies and actions from way back in 2003/4.

Now the whole sky is falling from Hurricanes, to food shortage and price hikes, to oil price spikes, to now financial collapse and worse to come impact in the REAL economy! All coming at once or in short sequence and we asking this "unremarkable" GOJ to solve it just so....ahhh bwoy. We should have made haste whe the sun was shining.

[Gamma]

and like glade floor polish...it's for extra DAZE!!!

[Historian]

HL can ask some questions some times yuh see. When yuh tun it back pon him, yuh nuh hear from him fi DAZE!

I still maintain that HL's question is a very relevant one!! As far as I'm aware, there still is is a price control regulatory agency in Jamaica, and one would expect that, this being so, it would be functioning to its fullest in these desperate times!! The fact that it does not seem to be either means market forces are being given unrestricted leeway (as it in most capitalist societies) or that Jamaica's price control body, like so many other things, is useless.

The fact is, however, that ordinary Jamaicans are hurting!

Who regulates gas price in America.

His question concerned basic necessities in the face of increasing oil prices. From what I understand of his post HL wasn't asking about regulating "gas price," but rather, regulating the price of bread-basket food items and other basic necessities.

[Mosiah]

Gas is not a basic necessity?

Despite the presence of a price control authority, prices will increase depending on a whole host of factors. Does not mean the the authority is ineffective.

[HL]

Indeed Historian.

You know very well that Mosiah and his (yes- man employee )... will attempt to change every statement that i make. They do this in order to give the shoddy Jamaican run govt. excuses.

Of course the price of gas will cause uncontrolled increase in price for everything in Jamaica.

The price control agencies in the US work. They are very effective.

Take the recent spike in gas prices caused by hurricane Ike>>>>>>>>.

Ga. officials investigating 130 gas stations

By JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, September 26, 2008

The state has received 1,300 complaints of gas gouging and has subpoenaed sales records from 130 gas stations to determine if they illegally jacked up prices in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

Complaints have been coming in steadily to the governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs since Sept. 15, the Monday after Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the executive order enacting Georgia’s gas-gouging statute to protect consumers from stations illegally raising up prices.

Bill Cloud of the Office of Consumer Affairs said it will take several weeks to prove stations were illegally gouging consumers on prices.
He said his office had one report Tuesday that an Acworth station was charging $8.82 a gallon, but that report hasn’t been verified.

The agency learned a lot from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when there was a run on gas because of fears of fuel shortages. Cloud’s office received 6,000 price-gouging complaints, including reports of jacked up hotel rates and gas prices.

In the end, Consumer Affairs wound up getting settlements from gas gougers in 83 cases. The next highest state for gas gouging settlements was New York, which had 14. However, the cases took a long time to make. The latest settlement occurred 13 months after Katrina.

Ike shut down many Gulf Coast refineries because of power outages, leaving Georgia gas stations with little gasoline to refill tapped pumps.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

[Sensi]

First of all when you talk about idiots running a country, the USA must be top of the list... and I am sure that Bruce Golding is smarter and more intelligent than Bush. Furthermore, how do you explain gas prices still at $3.45 even when oil price is now the same as last year when gas was $2.50? Where is the regulating body? Talk about shoddy!

[Willi]

America dont have public transp, so gas price is a basic necessity! You cant go work if you dont have a car and so cant even earn for the other needs in life.

[HL]

On my way to work this mornin'...gas price here is $2.99!!!

Will not be surprised if it's a dollah n' change tomorroh.