SABA/ST. EUSTATIUS--Consumer prices in St. Eustatius, Saba and Bonaire went down the fourth quarter of 2020, the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) said Wednesday based on the consumer price index (CPI).
Prices of consumer goods and services in Bonaire declined by 5.2 per cent in the period October-December 2020, relative to the same quarter in 2019. In the third quarter of 2020, consumer prices were 4.8 per cent lower year-on-year. In Statia, prices were 3.2 per cent down year-on-year and on Saba, 0.8 per cent.
Consumer prices in Statia were on average 3.2 per cent lower in the last three months of 2020 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The decline was 3.3 per cent in the third quarter of last year.
The price development of food had an upward effect on inflation, the CBS said. For example, prices for fresh fruit went up by nearly 6.2 per cent relative to the previous quarter of the year. In addition, prices of clothing and footwear rose by 2.5 per cent relative to the third quarter of last year.
A drop in prices of audio and video equipment and toys had a downward effect on price developments in the fourth quarter, according to the CBS.
In Saba, consumer prices were 0.8 per cent lower than in the final quarter of 2019 and in the third quarter of last year they were down by 1.6 per cent.
Fresh fruit prices increased by 9.7 per cent in the last quarter of last year, relative to the previous quarter. Toiletries, clothing and footwear became more expensive. Between October and December 2020, prices for clothing and footwear went up by two per cent relative to the previous quarter.
In 2020, the annual average price level in Bonaire was 2.5 per cent lower than in 2019. Statia saw an annual year-on-year decrease of 1.5 per cent and in Saba the average price level went down by 0.7 per cent, the CBS stated.
The lower price level in 2020 is mainly attributable to the allowances for electricity, drinking water and Internet provided by the government as of May 1, 2020. As a result of this, the fixed usage tariffs for electricity and drinking water were scratched and fixed Internet subscribers receive a monthly discount of US $25.
In Bonaire, food prices increased in the fourth quarter of 2020 relative to the previous quarter. Fresh vegetables were 1.1 per cent, fresh fruit two per cent and potatoes 8.3 per cent more expensive. Meat prices went also up towards the year end. On the other hand, the price development of furniture and toiletries had a downward effect on consumer price levels in Bonaire, the CBS stated.
