KINGSTON, Jamaica – With the start of the new school year fast approaching, many parents and guardians have already started preparing back-to-school supplies for their children, with textbooks being a major concern due to the constant threat of inflation and the resulting increase of book prices. Against that background, OBSERVER ONLINE visited the Kingston Bookshop in downtown Kingston to get an assessment of book prices from shoppers.

“The books are extremely expensive… everything is expensive,” said one parent, Segale Grant. “It’s nerve wracking and I’m only shopping for one child. It’s too much.

“The most expensive book on my list right here is MacMillian Primary Integrated Reading Scheme For Jamaicans, Reggae Readers, that alone is for $2,500. All the books on my list is for over $2,000 for a seven-year-old child. I think it’s very ridiculous,” Grant added.

She wants the Government to do something to assist in reducing book prices.

“The Government need to take some of the pressure off the people. Everything’s on the increase. We want an ease, and I wish the Government would meet us halfway in what we are doing,” Grant said.

However, another parent, Tamelin Tulsie, did not share Grant’s views. Tulsie said the price increases are not as high as he expected.

“You know that every year books actually raise and we have no control over that, but the price didn’t go up as far as it was last year because they would have put on $200 to $500 on the books if they are raising it, but they didn’t go that far, it was between $150 and $300, so it didn’t go as high as we expected it to,” Tulsie said, noting that the most expensive book he has purchased so far is the My Father Sun-Sun Johnson, costing $3,270.

Sharing Tuslie’s sentiments, mother of three, Nardia also said she finds that the books aren’t as expensive as she thought they would’ve been.

“It’s [book shopping] going fine. When I came in here the line wasn’t so full and I didn’t have to wait outside like last year, and I got most of my books. Last year wasn’t that expensive either. [But] the most expensive book [I’m] buying right now is [for] my [child] in grade seven for $4,140,” Nardia said.

At the same time, Purchasing Manager at Kingston Bookshop, Jermaine Simms told OBSERVER ONLINE that inventory prices increase yearly up to 10 per cent, and it is the same this year.

“Year on year you’ll find that the prices will be marginally increased maybe between five to 10 per cent and it has partially been the same this year. [Our] Best sellers, there are a number of them, dictionaries, early childhood books, some work books from the primary level,” Simms explained.

He added that the store currently doesn’t have any supply shortage, but they expect to restock books in about two weeks.