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The Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN) has issued a scathing critique of both corporate entities and government institutions for their inadequate response to escalating living costs, asserting that citizens bear the full brunt of economic shocks without meaningful protection. Executive Chairman Maureen Holder characterized the situation as a systemic failure where every external cost increase is automatically transferred to consumers without absorption or restraint.

Holder dismissed recurring justifications for price surges—including global inflation, insurance premiums, shipping disruptions, and geopolitical tensions—as deflection tactics. She particularly condemned the recent trend of blaming minimum wage increases for price hikes, labeling this narrative as ‘deeply unfair’ to low-income workers who have faced years of eroding purchasing power.

‘The fundamental issue isn’t imported inflation alone but a local policy failure and absence of market governance,’ Holder stated. ‘In our concentrated import market, consumers lack meaningful choice to discipline prices, while transparency tools like price-checking apps provide visibility without affordability.’

The consumer advocate detailed how costs move seamlessly through the supply chain—from freight and port charges to wholesale and retail margins—with no evidence of temporary margin compression or efficiency gains. This ‘pass-through economy’ structure leaves households spending substantial portions of income on groceries while reducing quality and nutritional standards.

BCEN proposed a comprehensive food price shock strategy featuring time-bound tax relief on essential items, voluntary margin restraint during crises, and robust enforcement against unjustified price increases. The organization emphasized that global tensions and wage improvements should not serve as excuses for inaction, calling for shared burden-bearing during economic stress.

‘What’s occurring represents policy failure, not inevitability,’ Holder concluded. ‘Barbadians require fairness, accountability, and leadership—not just explanations—as prices rise uniformly across the nation without corresponding relief measures.’

In a landmark development for social equity, the Barbados government has initiated a transformative water infrastructure project that will bring piped water for the first time to three historically marginalized communities. Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced the breakthrough during the launch ceremony of the Climate Resilient South Coast Water Reclamation Project at Harmony Hall, Christ Church.

The communities of Belle and Bellevue in St Michael and Bayley Alley in St George have endured decades of infrastructural neglect that prevented residents from securing home financing or properly developing their properties due to the absence of reliable water access. Mottley emphasized that this project represents more than just utility installation—it signifies a fundamental shift in these citizens’ relationship with their nation and their ability to participate fully in Barbadian society.

The Prime Minister contextualized this initiative within broader national efforts to modernize what she described as a structurally inadequate water system, much of which dates back to the 19th century. The Barbados Water Authority has already completed over two kilometers of the required 3.7 kilometers of mains replacement needed to serve these communities.

The project’s next phase, scheduled to commence in March, will involve installing sewer infrastructure in Belle and Bellevue, with a customized technological solution planned for Bayley Alley due to its unique layout. Mottley projected that within twelve months, the water access hardships that have long defined daily life for these residents would become “a conversation for our history books.”

Senior Minister of Infrastructure and Planning Dr. William Duguid highlighted that the upgraded South Coast sewage treatment plant represents a turning point from the disruptive 2018 sewage crisis. The project resulted from extensive coordination involving more than 270 stakeholder meetings with international partners including the European Investment Bank, the Green Climate Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

The enhanced facility will employ advanced tertiary treatment processes, including reverse osmosis technology, enabling wastewater reuse for agricultural purposes and aquifer recharge—a critical sustainability measure for the island nation.