During the second quarter of 2022 consumer goods and ser­vices in Bonaire were 9.4% more expensive than a year before. The inflation rate had still been 9.2% in the previous quarter. The in­crease is mainly prompted by rising food prices and airfares, reported the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) based on the consumer price index (CPI) for the Caribbean Netherlands.

In St Eustatius, the infla­tion rate rose from 4.9% to 7.7%. Mainly the cost of food, fuels and flights caused this.

In Saba, prices were up by 8.2% year-on-year, versus 6.7% in the first quarter. Here as well, the hike can be attributed to food, fuels and flights.

Relative to the first quar­ter, prices in Bonaire rose by 1.8% percent in from April through June, chiefly the result of higher food prices (+2.2%). Airfare went up by 8.5%, products for the maintenance of homes by 5.5% and insur­ance by 4.8%. Education became 7.0% more expen­sive.

In St Eustatius, consumer prices increased by 3.6% relative to the first quar­ter. Food prices rose by 2.8%, while transporta­tion cost went up 12.4%. The latter is attributable to cars (+4.6%), gaso­line (+13.1%) and flights (+14.8%). Prices of furni­ture and household appli­ances increased as well.

In the second quarter consumers in Saba paid on average 2.8% more for goods and services than in the previous three months. Food prices rose by 3% and transportation by 10.6%, the latter mostly due to cars (+4.6%), gasoline (+7.4%) and flights (+11.2%).

A striking development was the price increase of eggs in the past quarter. On all three islands, egg prices rose substantially com­pared to the first quarter. In St Eustatius, eggs be­came 51.7% more expen­sive, while in Saba and Bo­naire prices rose by 28.1% and 16.3%, respectively.

The Daily Herald.