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When Will Barbadian Consumers Understand They Have The Power?

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We have to believe, yet again, the renewed effort underway to recruit members in the Barbados Consumer Watch organization will bear fruit this time around. It seems ludicrous that a country labeled to be in a severe economic recession by the International Monetary Fund and with Barbadians indicating the cost of living to be a big concern, yet they would so easily spurn the opportunity to sign-up to a consumer organization. The politicians who suggest that the cost of living is such a big concern for Barbadians should explain our low level of participation and activism in consumer organizations.

Barbadians welcome the intervention of the intellectuals at Cave Hill who recently went public with some research done on what influences prices of goods in Barbados. Our sense is that they needed to go further. Maybe we are too harsh in our assessment of their effort but until we can understand how a supermarket can report $750,000 in shoplifting and remain in business, we have to continue to ask why.

One of the principals behind the Barbados Consumer Watch organization is BU family member, the indefatigable ROK. The President is well known netball administrator Annette Beckett.

Read what President of the Barbados Consumer Watch has to say on their website about the current membership drive.

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108 responses to “When Will Barbadian Consumers Understand They Have The Power?”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Well maybe BU has been found to be naive in this matter. Historically we have boasted of successive governments who have pursued social engineering driven by what is BEST for the people. It seems we have reached a point where recent governments have become disconnected from such an approach. Perhaps it is being driven by the phenomenon globalization.

    Barbadians have historically not had to adopt the N.American way of lobbying which is done within a strong culture of consumerism. The question given the public/private sector arrangement in Barbados, is it possible for the Barbadian consumer to move up the pyramid of power?

  2. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    A little gardening goes a long way in reducing the cost of food.

    I have seen Italian families in Toronto grow vegetables around their homes instead of a lawn and flowers.

    A concept that might work in Barbados.

  3. jeff cumberbatch Avatar
    jeff cumberbatch

    You might have hit the nail on the head, David. Our WEAK culture of consumerism….”you can’t eat de money”…might have contributed no end to our current predicament.

    Do you want price control? Competition?

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David and Jeff.

    This is a problem that will likely solve itself.

    Little money. Rice with onion butter/margerine sauce.

    or Sweet potato and piece a salt fish.

    or piece a yam and a flying fish.

    or Macaroni an cheeze by itself

    Last but not least. Sugar in a cup a water and 2 eclipse biscuits.

    Wanna remember?

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    You are showing your age. The buying behaviour of Barbadians is caught up in what individuals define nowadays as success. Many of the meals you describe which staples of a life long gone.

    @Jeff

    The current model is not working, we have institutions approved to bring competition and after a reasonable time we all know what happened. What BU would recommend is for government to waive duties 40%+ compounded on imports up to BDS3,000.00 on foodstuffs, some pieces of clothing. Government would lose revenue but the current model would be shattered over night.

  6. General Lee Avatar
    General Lee

    Why would a chain of 10+ restaurants, object to competition coming from outside of Barbados?

    If the playing field is level, what do they have to fear? Unless prices are artificially high and they think the new players might ignore the accepted Bajan business model. After all, we Bajans will only endure “sufferation” for as long as it takes for something better to come along.

    As a result of effective lobbying, Governments over the years, have stymied competition in the fast food sector.

    We have succumbed to the marketing and advertising gimmicks and have become hooked on their junk. We are helpless and now depend on them for our daily existence, so now, they are free to do as they please, give us whatever they choose and we must be eternally grateful.

    Until we as a people stop the senseless consumption, we will always be burdened with high prices.

    On a different note;
    What does it say about us as a nation, when we allow 20 different games of chance to operate freely, but object to a casino on the grounds that it will have a negative impact on the society?

    How many people would be able to afford to gamble in a casino as opposed to buying a $2 or $5 ticket?

  7. ac Avatar
    ac

    nobody can control our spending power but ourselves.When the money is put in our hands we make the ultimate decision
    as to who ,how, and where it is spent. we
    are not totally blameless. Just talk to a jew about spending power. They know the true meaning of it

    @ Bonny Peppa
    Yuh back in true form.

  8. Snakaroo Avatar
    Snakaroo

    “Kids meal being sold at Chefette for $10.50 (1 Piece Chicken, Chips, Roll)”

    Wuh part o de chiken? Dat chit suh gleasee wuh bout including sumtin tuh drink tuh help wash down sum o dah kolestrol. If dah is a meal, wuh is a snak bowsie

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