Dear Editor,

COVID-19 has been a major distraction to many of the happenings that are unfolding right above our masks.

Some of which are that the US dollar has been on a mountain-climbing expedition to the peak, gas prices are rising like hot air, chicken prices have been embracing the bird inside their hot wings, hikes in bus and taxi fares, the price of flour has gone up, the price of oxtail is way up, and the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has received raise after raise after raise. How come?

Now, if those price increases were not enough, the price of ground produce, fruits, and vegetables has been creeping up on the starving salaries of the working class like a snake in the grass. Gone are the days when $4000 could full two market bags and purchase a jelly coconut upon leaving the market.

Let’s see how far $4,000 can go if you buy 1 lb or one dozen of each of these items. See table.

Not suprisingly, this market bill adds up to $4,710, which exceeds the budgeted $4,000. Unfortunately, this is the case for many Jamaicans when they go to purchase food items, whether at the supermarket, wholesale, or market – they can’t afford to purchase what they need.

Note, too, that prices will vary depending on the vendor and market visited and, as we get closer to the Yuletide season some items will see increases of up to 100 per cent.

The front line workers are disgruntled about the four per cent increase that the Government is offering which, for some class of workers, can’t buy 2lbs of lettuce.

The suggestion to literally eat what you grow is good but that will mean the vendors will have to discard pounds of produce due to spoilage. We are living in hard times and the novel coronavirus pandemic has made it even harder.

It is said that trust is dead, but God is not, so let’s trust Him; he is our only hope.

Hezekan Bolton

H_e_z_e@hotmail.com