GREAT BAY--A motion aimed at strengthening price controls and bringing some relief to households struggling with the high cost of basic necessities received the unanimous support of Parliament.
The motion, submitted by Member of Parliament Egbert J. Doran, focuses on updating Sint Maarten’s price-controlled basket of goods and making sure that the system works in a way that people can actually understand and benefit from.
The motion points to the continued financial pressure that high food prices and the cost of other basic necessities are placing on households. It also notes that Sint Maarten already has a Pricing Ordinance that allows maximum prices to be regulated in the public interest.
With the motion now passed unanimously, Parliament is requesting the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication to return within 60 days with a complete revised price-controlled basket of goods. Instead of focusing on specific brands, the revised basket should be based on essential products and product categories.
The Minister is also being asked to provide the maximum retail prices and wholesaler margins for the products included in the basket, as well as information on price-control inspections carried out during 2025 and 2026, including violations and enforcement measures taken.
Another important part of the motion deals with hurricane season. The Minister is being requested to publish the hurricane price-control list within 10 days so that consumers know what they should be paying and inspectors have a clear basis for enforcement.
For MP Doran, the issue comes down to something simple: if essential goods are supposed to be price controlled, then the public should be able to clearly see what is controlled, what the maximum prices are and know that those prices are being properly enforced.
The unanimous support of Parliament sends a clear message that addressing the cost of basic necessities and ensuring proper price control is an issue that crosses party lines.
