Dear Editor,

A dramatic increase in the price of local commodities in Region #2 which stretches from Pomeroon to Supenaam is making it hard for the residents to cope with the escalation in the cost of living.

With the implementation of VAT there was also a rise in the cost of imported foodstuff. But with employment opportunities being negligible in the district, without even cottage industries to help in generating income, a situation of stress faces the people.

Scarcity always increases prices and so it was with white rice produced bountifully right here recently, but even with the commencement of milling operations for the present crop, it was upped again at my buying place from $440 to $480 per gallon with brown rice being more expensive. The further increase was said to have resulted from a higher price being paid to farmers now for their paddy as compared to the last crop.

Plucked chicken has jumped to an all time high price for as much as $340 per pound at some places while a similar quantity in pork has moved up to $300.

Live ducks and creole fowls are fetching as much as $450 and $300 respectively per pound.

Mutton and Venison are being sold at $600 a pound while a crab is $50 and one Hassar $100.

A parcel of 4 hot peppers is $100, 5 limes $200 with the price of fruits, plantains, eddoes cassava and sweet potatoes also mounting.

Even eddoe leaf calaloo that was being given away in the past is now being sold at $100 for a handful parcel.

The pressure is too much to handle but life must go on somehow or the other.

Yours faithfully,

Baliram Persaud