By Claudia Liburd
Nevis Reporter - SKNVibes.com
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| Mark Brantley. |
(Charlestown; Nevis) Local lawyer and newly elected member of the opposition party, Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Mark Brantley has flagrantly said there is an urgent need for price control on basic items in Nevis.
In an exclusive interview with Skvibes.com, Brantley said that the implementation of price control on basic items would assist in the reduction of the high cost of living in Nevis.
"In terms of reducing the cost of living I think that it is important for our government to look actively at some elements of price control especially on basic items, basic parcels of food and basic services," he said. "Right now there is no price control at work in Nevis other say than on items like milk and sugar and flour."
"Other than that there is absolutely no price control and you just have to shop around at the supermarkets to see the wide difference in prices on the same product. If you go to one it is $5.00, if you go to a next one it is $10.00 and you just see that people charge as much as they want to", said Brantley.
While authorities attempt to reduce the cost of living, Brantley said they also inadvertently contribute to the problem by implementing extravagant import duties.
"We need to start looking at shop-keepers and we need to be a little more creative in terms of import duties. While the Government can argue to say that the cost of living is high they often ignore what they are doing to carry up that cost and charging someone for example eighty odd percent to bring in a vehicle, and then charging someone forty per cent on other items and products tells you that they themselves are contributing to that cost of living", he said.~~adz:Right~~
The Opposition member suggested a comprehensive review and analysis of the sale price of goods and services on the island with a view to enforcing certain margins with relations to those products.
He further elaborated on empowerment, which he defined as providing the people with an environment in which they can find jobs and other opportunities.
"It makes no sense for us to spend our money educating our children so that they can go find jobs elsewhere. We must create and enable an environment in Nevis where our economy is growing at a rate where our young people, once they are educated, once they are dedicated, once they are interested, can find opportunities both for jobs and small businesses that they themselves can create."
~~adz:Left~~ He continued: "When you speak of empowerment you cannot talk about empowerment in a vacuum. Empowerment does not come through a half-day seminar somewhere. You can give a person all the training in the world but you have to provide an environment where a person can find a job. You have to provide an environment where that training can be put to use to work for you in the economy and create expansion in the economy - that is what I want to see in Nevis."
The Opposition member advised authorities to provide an opportunistic environment to prevent the creation of 'educated beggars' and to further expand the economy to a point where Nevisians can share in the benefits that are afforded by the economy'.
Finally, in closing the interview, the recently elected opposition member shared his belief that his entry into the political arena would positively affect the island and its populace.
"I would like to think that my entry into politics is something that is good and that it will be something good for the island. I want to make a contribution and it is critical for those of us in the Opposition to keep a vigilant eye and to ensure that the government carries out the programs and implements the programs for the benefit of the people of Nevis," he said.
