The nutritional value as been put into question regarding several of those food items the MInnis led administration has decided to either reduce or eliminate the duty on and according to Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands that list may need to be reviewed a second time.

The concern mounts as the country grapples with a high number of persons with non-communicable illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure.

When questioned about the government’s thought process regarding the list of duty free items Dr. Sands told The Bahama Journal yesterday outside of Cabinet that he understands why the concern came about.

“I think if you take the list in isolation um we can come with a whole lot of conclusions that may or may not actually have much to do with what they intent was,” he said.

“So there may be some outliers on that list that we would all agree, probably might deserve a second look.

If all goes as planned, the government proposes to make fruit drinks, juices, mixtures of fruits and nuts, milk, yogurt, salmon fillet, pastas, shrimp and prawns all duty free.

Meantime, soy sauce and pizza sauce will be reduced 30 to five per cent, drinks from 55 to 30 per cent.

Ice cream, breads, cakes, pastries and chips all from 30 to 20 per cent