Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the areas of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara and Herstelling, East Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Geetanqill Anana
Geetanqill Anana, 23-year-old sales assistant said: “The cost of living has been hard on me because when I go to buy groceries from the market, all grocery prices have gone up. A pound of sugar now is costly in the market and this is hard on me because I need the sugar to make porridge for my children. For example, a couple months back, a pound of sugar was $80; now a pound of sugar cost $175. Even items for the baby expensive. A small pack of Predo pampers a few months ago cost $1,200 and something; now the same pack of pampers cost about $1,600 and something. Sometimes I can’t afford to buy food items and I would have to take credit from the shop. When I receive my salary, I would pay for the items. I think the government should raise all private and public sectors’ salary because the current salary can’t do to buy food items.”
Gilland Williams
Gilland Williams, 52-year-old recruiter said: “Well the cost of living is high and it affects everyone since our expenditure is growing and our income remain the same. Food items have gone up in the market, for instance, sugar and rice. I used to pay like $1,800/$1,900 for a small bag of Karibee rice; now the same small bag of rice cost about $2,200. Also, a few months ago, a pound of sugar cost between $160- $180; now, a pound of sugar cost $200 at some places. The government should implement price control measures and give both public and private sectors a livable wage. Also, the government can place coupons in the newspapers so citizens can easily clip the coupon from the newspapers and use it to shop, so we, the citizens, can get discounts on our purchases. It will raise the newspapers’ sales too.”
Angenese Sukhdeo
Angenese Sukhdeo, a 33-year-old farmer said: “The cost of living is affecting me in a way where the cost for everything has risen at schools and in the market. I’m trying to cope with the cost of living by growing my own produce and retailing it to the market. I used to buy seedling but because of the cost per seedling now, I’m now growing them on my own, nobody taught me to grow the seedling, I learnt it on my own and I’m retailing the produce …celery and other vegetables I’m selling to vendors in the market and also, I use the vegetables to cook for my family since everything has gone up. I even try to take on more than one jobs to cope with the cost of living. Not because I’m a housewife, I do nothing, I do a lot of work to bring income into the home to help with the cost of living. I try minding chicken so if I don’t get any money from the garden, I would get something from the chicken I’m minding. And, I’m helping my husband with his work since he too, is self-employed. I’m a family of five, including three children and my husband. All greens gone up and grocery items gone up, a few months ago, a tray of eggs cost $1,500; now a tray of eggs cost $1,800. A pound of tomatoes cost about $300 a few months ago; now a pound of tomatoes cost about $800. Even the cost for celery expensive, a pound of celery before cost about $2000; now a pound of celery cost $ $3000/$2,500. A few months ago the cost for a small bag of karibee rice cost $1,700; now the same bag of rice cost $1,900. I think the government should listen to the farmers’ concerns and help the farmers in any way they can and not to promise and keep promising the farmers. Every time the government promising to help farmers and the time passing and then the cost for vegetables rise up in the market. The government should do what they say they will do and do it urgently too. You probably might get help from the government but it will take time when you wait on them, when you can try to do something on your own. I think the government should keep their promise and help the farmers because right now we are in dry season and the plants taking a lot of water. I would have to double the greenhouse plastic just to keep the heat out to have things growing right.”
G Johnson
G Johnson, a 34-year-old single parent said: “Well the cost of living has been affecting me a lot because when I go to the market, items are very expensive. Normally, you could have gone to the market with $5,000 and get everything, now you have to go with $10,000/$15,000 to the market and you barely getting the items for your money. Look at the price a bundle of bora cost now compared to before. Two to three months ago, a big bundle of bora cost $300/$400; now a bundle bora cost $800. Everything I have purchased, including hardware, building materials and others have gone up in the market…A cement block that cost $95 a few months ago; now cost $140. So you see everything gone up. I think the government should provide some subsidy or give something to assist single parents when going to the market in order to get discount on our purchases. The government should help us, especially single parent because I’m single parent to three children. Two going to school and one is home and I can tell you, things are really hard for me. I rear poultry just to raise money to help in the home. Even this hard because the cost for the starter to feed the chicks is expensive now. A few month ago a bag of starter cost $5000; now a bag of starter cost $6,300. So you see the fluctuation. Also, when I go to the shop to purchase a pound of chicken when I don’t have any chicken in stock, the cost per chicken raised. A couple month back a pound of chicken cost $280; now a pound of chicken cost $500. I would have to raise my chicken price to make a profit and when I don’t have any chicken in stock, I would have to buy from the shop.”
Kenneth Boodram
Kenneth Boodram said: “Well the cost of living is very high. We have to cope with the situation because the cost of living is a world crisis and not only Guyana is affected by it. My wife and I live alone, my children don’t live with us because they are all married now. We have the utility bills to pay and food items to buy and because of the high prices of these things, it is hard on us. I have a garden and my wife takes items from the garden and sell in the market, I don’t work but in this weather things are not really coming good, everybody feeling it hard, it’s not me alone. If we are feeling it very hard, what about this boy who have five children that I’m renting a house to? Everything is expensive in the market. The cost for 2 pounds, 2 inch nail gone up now. If I go to other places to buy the nail I would get it at a cheaper price. I don’t know if it’s the shop owners who are raising the prices on items. I also rear couple fowls and duck and the wheat brand I purchase for $2,000 to feed them rise to $2,100 now. So all items escalating every day. A few months ago, a gallon cooking oil cost $4,000; now the cost is $5,300. I think the prices for feed for poultry should not be sold so expensive. The government should have all feed price at one stable price instead of the prices rising because that is something farmers need every day.”
Harry Paul
Harry Paul, a 38-year-old construction worker said: “Every day the cost for grocery and other items climbing up in the market. Today if you buy an item for $200, tomorrow the cost gone up to $250/$240. For example, a tray of eggs cost $1,400; now a tray of eggs cost $2000. Even though the cost of eggs are high, I have to buy it because sometimes my children want fry or boil eggs. I used to buy two trays of eggs because my wife bake cake for the children to take to school, now I’m only buying one tray of eggs. I have five children. Sometimes when I do construction work, the people crying to pay the price for the job…with the cost of living so high, I had to reduce my spending. I will be paying rent soon as I lately moved out of my family place because of family problem and the items plus expenses are hard on my wife and I. Simple things like a 2-litre drink gone up. I used to pay $500 for a 2-litre drink; now the cost per 2-litre drink is $540. Both my wife and I are working but still with the combined expenses to pay every month, things are still hard on us. I really would like to get through with my turn-key home. I applied to the Ministry of Housing a couple years back but was told by the ministry that the application form cannot be found. Even cooking oil gone up. I think the government should reduce the cost for all food items, in that way, food items will be affordable to the people.”
Mark Anthony
Mark Anthony, a 41-year-old miner said: “The cost for everything in the market has gone up and this is affecting me since the salary is not rising. I’m just working to survive. I’m a single father of two kids and it’s hard to provide for them every day because everything has gone up in the market. For example, a pound of chicken a few months ago cost $400; now a pound of chicken cost $560. Also, a few months ago, a pound pack Fernleaf milk cost $600; now the same pack cost $1,100. The government should help the poor people because the cost of living is high.”
Thakur Ramcharan
Thakur Ramcharan, 67, said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because when I go into the grocery shop, I have to pay a different. I’m receiving my pension but not NIS and I’m really finding a hard time adjusting to the high price of food items sold in the market. For instance, a medium bag of Karibee rice a few months ago cost $1,500; now the same bag of rice cost $1,980. And, a couple months ago a 1 litre bottle of cooking oil cost $1,200; now the cost is $1,640. I would like if the government can provide me with some sort of assistance to help to purchase food items.”
Haimwatie Singh
Haimwatie Singh, a 42-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is affecting me when purchasing grocery. The cost for other items are expensive too but I’m feeling it when purchasing grocery. This is affecting me a lot because I have rent and utility bills to pay. I applied for a piece of land a while now and still I cannot get through. I have three children and right now my husband is the only one working to provide for my family of five. I’m not working because of my medical condition right now. Even the electricity and water bills coming high now. Everything gone up in the market, for example, a few months ago I used to get $500 for a parcel of banga mary fish; now I’m getting a parcel for $1,000/$1,500. A pack of chowmein a few months ago cost $280/$230/$250; now a pack of chowmein cost $350. The cost for cheese, flour, sugar and other items gone up in the market. The government should reduce the cost on all food items so everyone can afford to cook three meals.
Neelam Raghoo
Neelam Raghoo, a 29-year-old housewife said: “Everything has gone up in the market and this is affecting me because apart from purchasing food items, I have utility bills to pay and the salary my husband is working can’t do to pay these expenses. I have two children and despite everything has gone up in the market my family and I are coping with the cost of living. For example, a few months ago a whole chicken cost $2,200 and something; now a whole chicken cost about $3,200/$3,900. Then I have items to buy for my children to take to school every day. Fruits and vegetable all gone up. Now, we stop using greens because the price is high. Also, I use to pay $500/$600 for a 1 litre bottle of cooking oil; now the same bottle of oil cost $700/$800. I think the government should reduce the taxes on all food items.”
