Minister of Home Affairs, Alexa Lightbourne announced a Cost of Living Summit will be held on 25 June
Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne and Chair of the Cost of Living Commission, Anthony Richardson. Photo: Bermuda Broadcasting Company
40 percent of residents polled in the Government’s latest Cost of Living survey are citing housing, utilities, groceries and food as barriers to financial stability, according to Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne.
Minister Lightbourne revealed the findings of this survey which collected feedback from around 2,000 residents and 200 members of the business community.
Over 83% percent of respondents said they expect to struggle to meet basic needs in the next 12 months.
She further announced the upcoming Cost of Living Summit on June 25th at the Hamilton Princess.
During a media conference today, Minister Lightbourne said her ministry is inviting stakeholders from the third sector, local grocers and other retailers to attend the summit, as they seek to find tangible solutions to Bermuda’s high cost of living.
While conceding that many of the concerns were not new, Minister Lightbourne argued that the survey was validation of the urgency to develop new policy.
Minister Lightbourne was joined by Junior Home Affairs Minister Lindsay Simmons, Anthony Richardson chair of the Cost of Living Commission and Deputy Chair Michelle Jackson.
