John McCarthy
FREDERIKSTED — In a town where the arrival of a Navy cruiser like the USS Gettysburg usually signals a boost in local spirits, a different kind of shock is hitting residents where it hurts most: the grocery aisle.
While strolling through the DownTown “supermarket” on King Street this morning, I stumbled upon a jar of “V.I. Honeyman’s Cold & Flu Remedy.” The labeling promises a honey-based shield against the season’s ailments. The price tag, however, might cause a fever of its own: a whopping $30.00 per jar.
In an economy where the latest Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA) Market Basket Survey shows the cost of living remains stubbornly high, the $30 “goo” feels like a case of the cure being more expensive than the disease.
The Math of the Market
According to the most recent DLCA figures, St. Croix residents are navigating a retail landscape where “staples” are becoming luxuries. While Plaza Extra East remains the price leader with a 66-item basket totaling roughly $363.54, other local favorites like Pueblo in Golden Rock have seen that same basket climb over the $405.00 mark.
For a reporter who worked as PIO for then-senators Norman Jn Baptiste and Kenneth Ezra Mapp, the connection to “V.I. Honeyman” sometimes runs deeper than just the shelf. When I worked for “Ken Mapp” in 1992-1993, he knew a lot of “V.I. honeymen” during the course of his duties, officially and otherwise. Back then, we were researching policy and managing public image; today, the image being managed is one of high-end artisanal health remedies in a blue-collar economy. (Senator Baptiste had no connections to “honeymen” when I worked for him in his Senate office in 2000-2001 under his then chief-of-staff former St. Croix Senator Alicia Barnes, as far as I knew.)
Inflation or Innovation?
Is it a premium product for a premium price, or just another symptom of the 7.1% inflation rate that continues to ravage the territory—more than double the U.S. national average?
When a dozen eggs can still flirt with the $15 mark in some corners of the islands, a $30 jar of honey-goo isn’t just a health choice; it’s a financial statement. As the USS Gettysburg sits at the pier, perhaps its crew—and local residents—should take note: on St. Croix, the battle isn’t just on the high seas. It’s at the checkout counter.
