Dear Editor,
Let me commend your newspaper for the series on cost of living published weekly at various markets and other places – the photos of respondents and comments on the impact of the cost of living on the standard of living as well as on quality of life. It shows the toll that the soaring cost of living had (has) taken on the public, the poor in particular, from a couple of years ago till now. It is hitting household budgets very hard. Consumers clearly showed signs of fatigue, worries, distress as costs of essential products, especially food, increased out of their pocket’s reach. People have been forced to modify their spending and eating (drinking) behaviour to ensure wise, prudent, cautious spending. This in turn impacts on businesses and the entire economy. Analysts like me worry about the larger macroeconomic impact of price rise.
In airing the views of consumers at random at the market, a kind of opinion poll, it has raised public awareness of this vitally important economic issue – cost of living or inflation. The subject was treated professionally and objectively without any axe to grind and is ‘award stuff’. Unfortunately, in Guyana and even throughout the Caribbean, such great reporting is hardly recognized. The reporters deserve plaudits. In the US, UK, India, and other countries, the reporters and the series and the newspaper itself would win journalistic prizes for addressing the subject.
The increasing cost of necessities (food) has been a hot topic for discussion in every country, not just Guyana. Government cannot be blamed for it — effect of the Ukraine war, fuel price increase, natural disasters, destruction of food crops, etc. But government can take measures to cushion the impact on the population – the poor and middle class, in particular. Rising cost of living hardly affects the wealthy class although in Guyana they too complained about rising prices. The poor and middle class, the working class, pensioners, bear the burden as their income is relatively fixed. There is hardly an increase in salary to meet soaring prices of goods and services.
The opinions of your ‘person in the market (street)’ interviews are of great value to researchers on the economy and sociologists and even political analysts like me. It also benefits politicians as the public opinions would help the politicians (political parties, government) to understand the mood of the electorate and take appropriate action to win them over.
The series is excellent and comments spot on. The findings did not show any bias. The views coincided with what I obtained from conversations with the public (vendors, shopkeepers, consumers) at markets and on the streets or in their homes over the years. Respondents in every poll I conducted (for NACTA) over the last several years stated that cost of living was their primary concern; it was the leading issue, among several, impacting on the nation. The surveys revealed similar findings as you reported in your poignant series – an almost exact duplicate of your factual presentations to readers.
Let me compliment you and the reporters (photographers) on the way you treated such an important subject. Please continue the series. It will hopefully guide government and foundations to address the serious difficulties people are feeling about the high cost of living.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
