Interviews and photos by Shabna Ullah and Gaulbert Sutherland
What do you think about the cost of living relief measures announced by President Bharrat Jagdeo? We asked a few persons in the street this question and these were their responses.
Latchmin, vendor:
‘Everything is going up all the time. Guyanese are punishing all the time, suffering all the time. Look at the price of flour, rice, oil. Guyanese cannot afford to eat and send their children to school. The mini-bus fares are rising too. The government has to look into this. I don’t think that the measures announced by the President are enough. More should be done to make things better. The situation is sending people crazy, crazy right now. It is sheer stress in this country. There should be price controls on certain goods and transportation should be regulated.’
Anita Mohan, vendor
‘The 5% increase cannot pay the people. Prices of goods have doubled. Bus fares are rising too. Every single thing like rice, flour is up. Rice is $700 for a gallon. I don’t think that the measures announced by the president are enough. I believe that there should be price controls because different shops sell at different prices. Look at milk, a pack of Fernleaf milk is now $700 when it used to be $560 before. Even with the subsidies, the bakeries have raised the price of bread.’
Karen London, self-employed: ‘The cost of living is affecting me in many ways but I am not focusing on that because God is on my side. He is able and more than capable of supplying my needs. I do not think that the measures announced by the president are enough. What about the people like conductors, drivers and people earning less than $5000 per week and those collecting pensions. They are at a disadvantage.’
Dr Aubrey Gill, doctor in criminal law (USA)
“I don’t feel that Guyanese should suffer with the international food crisis because of the vast land that we can cultivate. We should be able to produce enough to feed ourselves and our Caribbean neighbours. I also believe that we should stop depending on imported manure for the crop and go back to the days of natural manure. This can help to ease the burden and stop us from complaining about the fuel crisis. I also think that with the number of animals we have here we can look at producing bio-fuel. I did a research in the market recently about cost of living and I don’t know how Guyanese survive – some prices were way above the salary…”
Preston Phillips, self-employed
`The cost of living is very harsh on the rank and file workers in Guyana. The salary is unrealistic for anybody to survive and to pay VAT on items makes it worse. The president’s initiative to help is good but giving somebody $4,000 is nothing much and 5% increase is an insult to the working class people. I think the minimum wage in Guyana should be $80,000 per month because the majority of people have to pay house rent and have children to send to school. The ‘grow more food’ campaign is nothing strange; since I was a little boy they used to tell us about that. It is good that they go back to that because it would help to alleviate some of the problems. I also think that government should at least give the military a substantial salary so they can better serve the people.’
Reuben Busgith, stall holder, New Amsterdam market
`I will venture to say that the proposed measures announced by the president are a fair effort to bring some relief to the country as a whole. It is also a commendable effort in advising people to grow more so that there would be sufficient food, thus bringing the cost of living down. The idea of supplying seeds to the people for this venture would also give a boost to persons. I just think they need advice on how to do it in the correct manner to get the best quality. The cost of living has gone up really steeply and it is putting a strain on people’s pockets. As a stall holder I have found that it is extremely difficult for customers to shop as before.’
Nicole Jaipaul, livestock farmer
`It is very good that the president has announced measures in dealing with the cost of living but I think that would only help to alleviate the situation to a certain extent. I am aware that this problem is not only in Guyana but it is an international crisis and prices would keep rising. People are feeling it more because the salary is not rising; at least not for all workers. The ‘grow more’ campaign is good but how can people grow more if they do not have land? There should also be adequate land for the cattle to survive. Government should brace the poor class of people so that they can build themselves, such as by securing them with land and by providing medical assistance and advice to livestock farmers. It is good that they are giving the seeds but they should also give advice to farmers as well as persons who are now starting to plant so that they can produce good crops.’
Melda George, Jehovah’s Witness pioneer
`It is a good move for the president to announce measures to help with the cost of living but in short, man cannot solve our problems. They were not created for that. Jehovah’s kingdom and his rulership is the only solution to mankind’s problems. This is a worldwide problem and the Bible shows that we are living in the last days. It also said that ‘hardship would be from one place to another.’ People can help themselves with a little kitchen garden because rather than buying they can cut their expenses.’
Herman Edwards, Orealla farmer
`The cost of living is terrible right now, especially for farmers. We are feeling a lot of pressure because we are not getting the price we want for our produce and we have to pay a lot of money to bring it out from Orealla. At one time I understand that we would get a reduction in farming tools and insecticides but so far it is nothing like that. If we don’t try for ourselves we do not get an increase from the hucksters. With the cost of living so high now it is worse. Before we were trying to survive but now sometimes we are working at a loss. When we try to save for a better foundation we have to turn back and use the money in expenses. I am glad that the president is taking steps to help but I want to know what plans he has to help the people of Orealla.’
Mc Lean Herman, Orealla farmer/former village captain
`A few years ago I was invited for the opening of the new Corriverton market and government officials promised that they would take all our produce and give us good prices but they did not stand to their words. The first day when I went to the person who was in charge of the market and whom the officials instructed to take the produce, he only took one bunch of plantain. I just had to continue giving it to the hucksters and they pay me whatever they feel like even when the produce have good price. They take advantage of us because they know that we cannot take our produce back to Orealla. But yet we did not give up. We have leaders and they are not representing us; they are only concerned with logging and the forest is finishing. Right now we have a problem with acoushi ants destroying our crops and we would be happy if government can provide us with a ‘swing fog’ to get rid of the ants. We also need someone to advise us. As a captain from 1954 to 1978, I helped to build the village and now I am sad to see how it has gone down. We need development and better management. The community should go forward, not backward. Government gave us a nice boat and engine about two years ago to transport passengers. The people already break it up and park it and there is no money to repair it. I want to know where the money is that they collected from the boat.’
