What the people say about

This week we asked the man/woman in the street about the shopping trend leading up to Christmas compared to other years. Here are their replies:

Carol Carrington
Carol Carrington

Carol Carrington, vendor:
‘Well the shopping hasn’t picked up yet. I’m a vendor here [Camp Street] for fifteen years and one thing I noticed is that as the years go by the amount of shopping slows down. But this year is worse and I blame it on the cost of living. Everything is sky high. The next thing is that even if people wanted to buy things they can’t. The little money they supposed to get from the back pay ain’t coming this year.
That is what people use to buy things at Christmas time; and if Government not paying that people would use their little salary to buy the necessities. They would be cautious cause you don’t know what’s next, but for now everything even the foodstuff going slow.’

Christine Kendall
Christine Kendall

Christine Kendall, vendor:
‘People don’t have the spending power, you have price police rather that buyers. Everyone stopping to find out the price and no one is buying. Today [last Friday] is the best day for the week, the whole week the pave was under water and you couldn’t sell anything.
The previous years the sales were better but I guess cost of living and VAT is causing the slow sales. Is who got money going to eat and who ain’t got going to suffer.’

Jollian Knights
Jollian Knights

Jollian Knights, vendor:
‘Right now things real slow, people just passing and looking at stuff. It’s real harsh, some days you only selling $500; it real tight. I believe that one of the main reasons for the slow sales is that money is not coming from overseas relatives. My family is awaiting remittances to do our Christmas shopping. We don’t know if it will come because of the situation out there and that is the problem with everyone else. So maybe it will pick up before Christmas and maybe not’

Shawn Johnny
Shawn Johnny

Shawn Johnny, Self-employed:
‘Basically in my opinion this happens every year. There is a period where everything is quiet and then there is a rush to shop till you drop. And this is Guyana; most people wait for the last minute to do things then there is a mad rush downtown. I believe that rush will happen when people get their money. On the other hand it’s transparent that we have an economic crisis and nobody thinks of the small man’s well being. So it’s left to see what will happen.’

Adrian Tracy
Adrian Tracy

Adrian Tracy, vendor:
‘I think that shopping would be just fine if it wasn’t for the weather. But as long as the sun shines and the streets are not flooded the people are going to come out and do their shopping. As long as they get their salaries and bonuses the shopping will start as long as the weather keeps up. Nothing can keep Guyanese from shopping till they drop for the holidays as long as the money flows.’

Abenia Rockcliffe
Abenia Rockcliffe

Abenia Rockcliffe, private sector employee:
‘Business hasn’t picked up so far as it would during the Christmas season. People aren’t getting money so what are they going to buy with. For me I’m not into the Christmas season and the whole shopping thing. I have to manage my money better.’

Hugh October
Hugh October

Hugh October, caterer:
‘The Shopping is definitely not the same as before it is terrible. Cost of living is the main reason. There is a global recession taking place no matter what anyone here says. In Guyana most people, including me depend on overseas help and right now the money isn’t flowing. Oil prices have plummeted and the authorities are asking taxi drivers and minibus operators to drop their prices but what about the light bills. This is killing poor people you can’t shop for Christmas when you have a heavy electricity bill; GPL needs to bring down the bills. In my opinion people need to stop celebrating Christmas and look ahead. Make better investments with that money such as in your child’s education.

Shawn Barrington
Shawn Barrington

Shawn Barrington, vendor:
‘Sales hard like the VAT, Guyana getting like the desert. I selling Christmas decorations here and I want to know if anybody decorating Christmas trees. Last year time like this things really kicking up but now you here all day and not a thing selling. There is definitely a need to reduce the VAT even if it was just for Christmas. And the government not giving the people their back pay; so what they going go buy with. The shopping for Christmas is like a tradition here but like it isn’t going to happen this year.’

Melanie Stewart
Melanie Stewart

Melanie Stewart, private sector employee:
‘Well last year I didn’t spend much for Christmas and I don’t intend to this year either. I don’t even buy toys for my children because they get enough from people at parties and so on at this time of the year. I have a lot of things to do rather than buy unnecessary things at the holidays; I have my house to build.
I think people should stop this wild spending and channel their money into something more useful. This year I don’t notice it though. For example I was at a Ravina store and on a Friday this close to Christmas you normally can’t breath properly in there. But it was empty.’

Seon Carryl
Seon Carryl

Seon Carryl, taxi driver:

‘No money, no jobs, high cost of living-people therefore can’t buy. The government not providing jobs and they stifling those who trying with a little hustle so it is going to show at this time of the year when people normally spend all they got.
Most people would get overseas help but with the situation over there that isn’t even coming. The VAT should really be reduced even if just for the Christmas season, maybe then people could come out and buy things and enjoy their holidays.