The authorities are always urging the public to shop locally and support the local economy.
Whenever I hear that, a part of me wants so badly to answer the call, but the other part knows it is near impossible to do so, given the wage stagnation that has been plaguing our country long before the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
I’m not sure if it is too expensive to import goods, or is it simply a matter of favourable exchange rate. When it comes to basic essentials, it is cheaper to obtain them across the border.
I know doing so is weakening our economy further, but what choice have I got? My salary isn’t high enough to stretch that far into the month. It’s easy to say that all one needs is to find a better paying job. In the current market condition, a lot of luck is required to even get one foot in the door, even when one has over a decade of work experience. So while the authorities continue to call for us to shop locally, perhaps it is best to start by looking beyond the median income, which skews the full picture of what is really going on.
Looking For Greener Pasture
