Opposition Wants Cost-of-Living Relief to Go Beyond Grocery Bags

Opposition Leader Tracy Panton wants the Government’s cost-of-living relief measures to go beyond grocery bags and housing assistance. She’s calling for action on electricity, transportation, fuel and food prices.

Panton says the proposed expansion of the Grocery Bag Programme is welcomed, but the assistance currently available to her Albert constituency reaches only a fraction of those in need.

“Our people are being squeezed just to live,” she said. “Every time you go to the grocery store, the prices increase, the fuel cost continues to increase, and electricity is unstable and on a rise, you can’t meet your utility bills, can’t pay your house rent, and you have difficulty getting medication for whatever illnesses you may be suffering.” 

During Thursday’s house sitting, Prime Minister John Briceño announced an additional $3 million for the programme over the next five months, with the intention of doubling the number of households assisted. Government has also allocated another $3 million for housing assistance.

But Panton says it does not suffice. “We get five thousand a month to deal with grocery bag, a very basic bag is about a hundred dollars. So, we are able to help fifty families a month. That is not enough,” she told News 5. 

At the same time, Panton called for greater competition in the importation of vegetables from Mexico. She argued that opening the market to other importers could help bring down prices.

She said, “There is a monopoly on the importation of vegetables from Mexico. One provider has that license. Let us open that up so there can be competition on the market so that people can actually afford to buy vegetables.”

Panton’s comments come as the Briceño administration prepares to roll out its proposed $30 million cost-of-living relief programme.