‘We have enough supplies here & on the way’- RTW Managing Director - as shopping frenzy being experienced across Territory

As a surge in shopping has been witnessed at supermarkets across the Territory ever since Novel Coronavirus (COVID-10) became a real threat to the Virgin Islands, there have been concerns as to whether there are adequate supplies to meet the local demands now and over the coming days and months.

Managing Director of RoadTown Wholesale Trading Limited (RTW), Mr Guy Strickland; however, is not too concerned about that.

“We have warehouses full of merchandise right now. We are very comfortable, we have a lot of merchandise coming but I am very confident that we have enough supplies here and on the way to supply the entire island as well as our competitors have a lot of inventory that is coming as well,” Mr Strickland told Virgin Islands News Online on Monday, March 23, 2020.

Mr Strickland did note; however, that RTW's ability to meet demands are dependent on suppliers being able to meet orders, because “we are seeing the new world order changing, borders are closing, right now not to cargo, but if the US has no more exports it’s a different game.”

On March 17, 2020 RTW announced a decision to freeze all price increases for 30 days “unless they relate to increases beyond our control," the company noted in a press release.

Support for seniors

Meanwhile, in the midst of the shopping frenzy, RTW has introduced a policy where the senior members of the community are given preference at checkout/cashier points for faster processing during the hours of 6:30am and 8:30am.

This policy was put in place since last Thursday, March 19, 2020, according to Marketing Manager of RTW, Ms Dawn J. Callwood.