Posted by 1800Eleuthera.com on September 17, 2001 at 21:55:15:
Nassau Gurdian and Bahama journal
Closure of Airport, Harbour may affect food supplies
By Bernard A. Young
The overall effects of last Tuesday's acts of terrorism on the United States World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon building in Washington, DC, has resulted in the immediate closure of all US airports and seaports as that country moves to secure its borders and implement a state of national security alert. In the wake of these events, a ripple effect will no doubt be felt in The Bahamas which depends heavily on the US tourism markets, in addition to importing some 80 per cent of food items and a host of other critical items that help to maintain our standard of living.
According to Navado Moncur, Assistant Manager of Winn Dixie Lucaya, "the effects of the attack in the USA can possibly send prices higher because we depend so heavily on the USA for grocery and other food items that come to our store. While the immediate affect in prices will not happen today, I expect that the prices will start to be seen in the near future."
With respect to the situation involving the patterns of purchasers in the stores and whether a run on the store for the stockpiling of food items has started, the Winn Dixie Lucaya Manager said, "we have noticed that customers are purchasing cases of items in cans such as juices, evaporated milk, cooking oil, corned beef, rice, sugar and other such store items. Many of our customers are also talking about what has happened in the USA and they appear very concerned."
He added that business for the store is expected to be brisk over the next few days as customers prepare themselves for the worst, in terms of how long it will really be before airplanes can fly and ships enter the USA.
At the Winn Dixie Store in downtown Freeport, the Assistant Store Manager Clayton Powell said, "so far I do not feel that the events are the result of terrorist attacks but are rather accidents. I hope that the closing of the air and sea ports will not be long-term because The Bahamas will definitely suffer. This Winn Dixie store has approximately four weeks supply of food. Some 90 per cent of our food supplies come from the USA and the only locally produced items purchased and available on a local level include such items as chicken, eggs, some produce such as tomatoes, cabbage, limes and other such items."
He added that no increase was noticed in the amount of people shopping in the store and that no noticeable affect in the movement of shelf items has taken place. However, he said "I do not see the situation lasting very long with respect to the closure of the Airport and Harbour in the United States and Freeport."
In the settlement of Eight Mile Rock, Barry Wilson the Assistant Store Manager said, "the recent acts of terrorism with two planes coming down minutes apart is not by accident. The events display precision planning on the part of the people responsible."
On the question of how shoppers were responding through their buying habits in the Eight Mile Rock Store he said, "there has been no significant changes in the buying patterns of local residents and I do not see any changes taking place over the next few days. However, if the Airport and Harbour remains closed, there could be a rush on the store."
The Assistant Manager went on to say that many of the local residents are not considering that they may be affected by what is happening in the United States but should the airports and seaports not open, people will rush to purchase canned foods and other foodstuffs of that nature.