BY CLEMIA NEELY
Journal Staff Writer

As global trade wars escalate and US President Trump imposing a 10% tariff on all
countries including The Bahamas, the Bahamas Trade Commission is moving to
diversify trade routes and options to bring cheaper prices to Bahamian consumers
according to Chairman of the Bahamas Trade Commission Senator Barry Griffin.
“We would have already seen that through our encouragement, a lot of local
providers are already diversifying where they get stuff from. For those providers
who have the capacity and the ability to do that, the government has created the
framework for that to happen to continue our great relationship with trading
partners around the world.” Senator Griffin emphasized.
“The situation with the eggs is on example, so we’re looking to repeat that, and it’s
been going great. We’re working with government partners around the region and
the Caribbean and in Latin America. We’re also working with the private sector.”
His comments came as he went on a walking tour last week with Prime Minister
Philip Davis, Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) Senator
Darron Pickstock and Consumer Protection Commission Chairman, Senator Randy
Rolle throughout the Fox Hill community.
“we’re meeting with businesses to educate them about the program that we’re
doing to get them involved so that they can bring products directly from source
jurisdiction in order again to pass cost savings on to consumers,” he said.
“This is one of the government’s most critical and crucial initiatives because the
cost of living is beating absolutely everyone. The government is keenly aware of
that, and the government has made this one of its top priorities to lower the cost of
living in the Bahamas.”
Senator Griffin said that they are facilitating trade missions with Bahamian
businesses going directly to factories and suppliers all across the globe to certify
for themselves that the goods are of high quality. The Bahamas Agricultural Health
and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) is also in contact with many of the
government agencies in other countries so that they can certify that the goods are
healthy and meet international standards.