Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the area of Parika Sea Dam on the East Bank of Essequibo about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Anita Samsudeen
Anita Samsudeen, a 53-year-old part-time domestic worker: `Right now if you go grocery shopping and you don’t have $40,000/$50,000, you can’t come home with a bag. I have one daughter living with me and she’s going to school. Every day I have to give her $500 to go to school and the money my husband works for can’t do to support the three of us. I have other children but they don’t live with us. I have kidney stones and the money I receive, can’t do for my surgery. Until now, I don’t have money to do the surgery. The cost of living is very hard for me. Also, the ten days domestic work I do, the salary I earn can’t even do to maintain my family. The prices in the market are high. A cut of pumpkin that cost $200/$100 before; now cost $1000/$1500. A pound of big peppers cost $500 a few months ago; now a pound of big peppers cost $1,300/$1,500. Even the cost for a small squash has increased. I had to stop buying vegetables and buy other food items instead. I’m glad if the government can help the people with the cost of living and raise peoples’ salary.’
Mohan Khinai
Mohan Khinai, a 32-year-old: `Any work I get, I take because not always I get work to buy basic food items for the home. Some days I don’t have food to eat and I would have to go over to my family. When you go to the market now, the cost for all food items gone up and my salary I’m working for can’t do to buy food items. For example, a few months ago, a small pack of flour cost $200; now the cost is $360 for the same flour. A bottle oil that cost $500 a few months ago; now cost a $1000. I’m grateful if I can get a proper job to buy food items. I do farm which help me a little but the cost for other grocery items gone up in the market.’
Veita Kahai
Veita Kahai, a 28-year-old part-time domestic worker: `The cost for food items is expensive in the market and when I work, the salary that I earn can’t do to buy food items. I have three kids going to school and every day they have to get money for the bus to go to school and then return home. My husband works as a mason but still, the money can’t do for the home because the cost for grocery items, has increased in the market. Pumpkin that cost $100 a cut; now a cut of pumpkin cost $1000. Also, the cost for boulanger has increased in the market, three boulanger that cost $200 a few months ago; now cost $1000 for 3 boulanger. A 1 litre bottle of cooking oil cost $360 a few months ago; now the same bottle of oil cost $800. Even the cost for the bigger bottle of cooking oil has increased. The prices of food items should reduce because the cost for all food items have become expensive. I planted some vegetable to cope with the cost of living but still the cost for other grocery items is high in the market. The government should look into the high prices food items are sold for in the market.’
Ramesh Takah
Ramesh Takah: `The cost for all items has increase in the market. Right now, I’m not really working because I have diabetes and I lost one of my toes. My son is the only one working for my family and other family would help me sometime. I’m a family of six. Sometimes my family and I can’t afford to purchase food items from the market because of the high prices. For example, a pound of chicken that cost $360/$400 before; now cost $500 a pound. I don’t get electricity on the dam, so I would buy chicken at the retail price. I have a generator I can use but I don’t use it because the cost for gasoline has increased. Another item is pumpkin. A cut of pumpkin a few months ago cost $300; now a cut of pumpkin cost $900/$800. Two of my children go to school. I try to cope with the cost of living with the little money I receive from my family. Also, I do get public assistance for me and my three children. The money helps a little but because of the high cost for items in the market, the money can’t do to buy them. The government should visit the community more often and inquire from the people what is affecting them and help us.’
Sabrina Kattow
Sabrina Kattow, a 23-year-old housewife: `The cost of living is affecting me a little since vegetables prices, particularly have increased. When I go to the market to buy groceries, I found that the cost for items has risen. Sometimes I don’t get to buy what I want because of the high cost. For example, sometimes if I don’t get to buy oil this week, I would wait until next month to buy it. It has been a while now since I have purchased greens. I’m a family of three. My husband is the sole bread winner for my family. Also, on the dam we normally struggle to get water and electricity. Everything gone up in the market, for example, before three boulanger cost $300; now two boulanger cost $500. Also, a bottle of drinking water that cost $200 last year; now cost $460 per bottle. The government should drop the cost for food items a little more because food items are something that we need to purchase every day.’
Shonnette Graham
Shonnette Graham, a 35-year-old housewife: `My family and I are trying to cope with the cost of living. It is not really affecting us a lot. Well, I can’t really afford to buy vegetables now because I have a big family of ten including my eight children, my husband and I. The money can’t do to buy vegetables for everyone so we stop use greens for now but we are trying to use other grocery items instead. The cost for other grocery items is costly too but we are still trying with the high food cost. For example, a few months ago three small boulanger cost $300; now that same parcel of boulanger cost $600. Even the cost for the bigger boulanger has increased. Also, a 5 kg pack of Demerara Gold sugar that cost $1,600 and something a few months ago; now cost $2,200 and change. I’m not sure if the government can assist us with other grocery items or reduce the cost for basic food items. We can try to cope with the high greens cost by planting one and two things.’
Pamela Paul
Pamela Paul said: `The cost for items seems like they are increasing every day because every day when I go to the market, the cost for food items increases. This is affecting me a lot because my husband and I are just working to eat. I’m a family of four including my two children. I normally run a shop and my husband work out of the home. For example, a pound of chicken a few months ago cost $400/$360; now a pound of chicken cost $500. A cut of pumpkin that cost $300/$400 now cost $3000. A tray of eggs that cost $1,700/$1,600; now cost $1,250. Even the cost for celery has increased. Half of this year the cost for items has increased in the market. I think the government should make sure all employers raise their employees’ salary since all items are costly in the market now.’
Makeda Burn
Makeda Burn, a 21-year-old house wife: `The cost of living is hard on me. My partner works, I’m not working. I’m a family of four including my two kids. The cost for all food items has increased in the market. Sometimes the money is not enough to buy groceries I need. I would have to stay without but make sure I buy basic things for my kids. The cost for vegetables gone up, for example, a cut of pumpkin that cost $200; now cost $1000. Also, a small pack of Natura milk that cost $560; now cost $780. The government should try to reduce the cost for basic food items.’
Nadira Samsudeen
Nadira Samsudeen, a 47-year-old single parent: `The cost for all items has increased in the market and people are not getting work. I’m a part-time domestic worker and a single parent to two kids. I have to try with my salary to provide for them. For instance, 3 boulanger that cost $200 a few months ago; now cost $1000 for the same parcel. A cut of pumpkin that cost $500 a few months ago; now cost a $1000 for a cut. Also, a cut of watermelon that cost $500 a few months ago; now cost $1000. A pound of big hot peppers a few months ago cost $700; now the same peppers cost $1,500. I can’t save now and if the kids sick, I have to take them to Public Hospital and when the doctor prescribed certain medication for the children and the hospital don’t have the medication available, I have to buy it. I can’t afford to buy the medication my kids need, so I would give them whatever tablets I have at home. I think the government should provide every household with money every month or two months to help with the cost of living, just like how they provided us with $25,000 per household.’
Uline Samsudeen
Uline Samsudeen, a pensioner: `Both my husband and I receive our pension every month and the pension combined is not enough to support us for the month. My husband is sick right now and his money finishes quickly because he has to buy pampers and medications. Also, the cost for all food items has increased in the market and our monthly pension can’t do to purchase food items we need. For example, a small bottle of oil that cost $300 a few months ago; now cost $500 in the market. Also, A pack of adult pampers that cost $1, 600 a few months ago; now cost $2,000. I think the government should provide a hamper every month to pensioners and raise our monthly pension because I only depend on our pension for a living.’
