Letter to the Editor The true costs of living |25 November 2016

This letter is not intended as free publicity for Chez Deenu.

I heard during the debate on the cost-of-living motion on Wednesday that Chez Deenu was selling rice cheaper than at STC. I am not a connoisseur of rice, therefore I am unable to judge if the quality of the Chez Deenu rice is the same as the STC rice. Otherwise it is difficult for me to determine if the prices match or mismatch for same quality.

However, I will tell shoppers to buy the rice at Chez Deenu. That is if they prefer the type and quality at Chez Deenu. Their palates.  Their pockets. Their expectations.

STC sells three types of rice starting from R8 something a kilo, to R16 something a kilo to over R20 something a kilo. I never buy the R20 something rice.   

We have many types of rice in the country these days. The import market is open to any traders.

At least people have a choice. There is choice.

That is why I tell people to buy at Chez Deenu. The taste, the type, the quality, the amount to spend belong to the shoppers.  The choice is for the shoppers to make.

I will also tell people to shop around for the cheapest timber. Pine is pine. For this type of timber we can compare apple to apple, although the costs of transportation and sourcing may vary. Hence, the differences in prices.      

Mr Editor, you may have already noticed my lack of shopping knowledge. I pay little attention to prices.  I do not eat much rice, although I buy the R8 something a kilo of the white long grain, and the regular basmati, both imported by STC. Yesterday I boiled two pieces of cassava. Sometimes I do the same with bananas (plantain) when the ones I grow are harvested. I also grow other root crops. Eat a whole orange in the place of drinking juices. Cheaper and healthier. I have found that eating a mature golden apple (frisiter) is filling.

My lifestyle is my choice. My health is my responsibility.  

The debate gives the impression that there are people in Seychelles who are not eating much because foods are too expensive. Our choices, too, are open to debate. I am not disputing the costs of living, but we should not give the impression that we need to consume more.

Already there is a huge obesity problem in this country. There is also the high level of diabetes. Health issues,  lifestyles, are a major concern.

The objective of the focus in combating cost of living should not be consumption, consumption, overconsumption …

The real aims should be getting the economy to work efficiently, empowering homes to make the right choice for good health. Getting people up to do productive work, to make the best of the many opportunities made available to our Seychellois.  Growing more of our own foods and eating them fresh. We find ways to cut the cost of living not to eat more until we displace ourselves from this planet, but to economise, to save so we can invest in our quality education, in decent housing,  … for our enlightenment, too. To avoid wastage. To give real value to our work and rupee.

Materialism, consumption alone do not bring long-term happiness although we must eat.

But how do we measure quality and price? How do we determine the real value of something in a small, open and mixed economy?

I welcome a comprehensive national exercise to determine all the factors that make up costs. Because I believe in bringing down costs instead of raising salaries to combat inflation. We did it before. Seychelles has to remain competitive, especially at a time when we are promoting entrepreneurship.   

Government should take the lead in establishing a guide to reasonable pricing. Maybe the basis of the defunct price control system could help.

There was a suggestion in the National Assembly that STC should not be like the Marks and Spencer, and Tesco retail outlets. That it should be a “little”, selling goods which are “affordable”.  Don’t. I buy the R8 something white long grain rice. It is a lot better than what I ate in my childhood. To other people it is rice for the dog.

Such is the sophistication, such is the expectation, of our people!      

V. Charles