Dear Editor
I would like to react to the letter to the editor in the Monday issue of this newspaper by Mrs. L. Gumbs-Duggins. The fact that state-secretary Raymond Knops during one of his recent visits purchased groceries in her supermarket, which action went viral on Facebook, has prompted a reaction from this well known local supermarket owner.
I believe it is unfortunate that she feels singled out and in her own words has to defend her company against biased characterization. The way I see it, the action of the state-secretary was not intended to single out and expose any particular supermarket. The intention was to confirm the high prices of groceries on Statia and not those of a Duggins supermarket.
Personally, I am happy that for this Knops had chosen one of the few local stores. In my limited shopping experience I have noticed that this particular supermarket in many instances is offering lower prices than many other supermarkets on the island. Also, unlike many others, Duggins supermarket never has a deaf ear when social organizations request its support with their fundraising and other activities.
The fact that Knops still finds the prices very high on Statia is an indication and a clear sign on the wall that something needs to be done to the purchasing power of the people of Statia. Mrs. Gumbs’ call for the establishment of the social minimum as soon as possible I therefore fully support.
I also agree with her reference to the study into the prices on our island where it is concluded that the margin of the supermarket is a mere 3 per cent. This clearly means that the high prices of groceries are not caused by the profit margin that the stores on Statia are charging, but by external factors like production cost, margins of outside wholesalers, high transportation cost and taxes and harbor fees charged by our governments as well as by the still levied turnover taxes on goods exported to Statia by St. Maarten.
The action by the state-secretary is a clear sign that the present coalition government is recognizing the fact that something needs to be done and at the same time a signal to parliament to be ready to deal with the long-awaited and overdue social minimum for the Caribbean Netherlands. It is time to take the observations in the Spies report and other researches seriously. The call for higher social allowances in parliament by the CDA and D66 parties shows that the message is reaching home. And I agree with Mrs. Gumbs, “it is better to do well than to say well”!
Koos Sneek
Democratic Party St. Eustatius
