It’s about the cost of living

THE EDITOR, Madam:

While it is good on the surface to increase the minimum wage, it is equally important for the government to never recant from the goal of reducing the cost of living. The more goods and services John and Jane Public are able to acquire via their disposable income, the better off they will all be.

The Jamaican patty, for example, is the great equaliser, meaning, the same patty that any rich person buys and eats is the same patty that the humble housekeeper and the street vendor buys and eats. However, the cost of patties has gradually increased in cost over time, which is not good. I recall the late ‘Mutty’ Perkins saying that, if the grassroots man can afford the same bottle of wine that a rich person buys, then, the wine seller and the government will be that much better off.

Unless and until the cost of goods in local supermarket shelves, fast food restaurants, pharmacies, hardware stores, gas stations and utilities begins to decrease gradually then can any administration at the end of their term in office conclude that they made life better for Jamaican citizens.

Last, the popular and subjective political question that is asked of the public/electorate (by both the ruling party and the Opposition) during political campaigns, i.e. “Are you better off today than you were four or five years ago?”, will continue to receive inaccurate, unrealistic, politically driven, and irrational answers, and in particular from the incumbent party.

PATRICK GALLIMORE

pagalley@protonmail.com