Part 73
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public who came from different parts of Guyana in the vicinity of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Jamal Farley
Jamal Farley, a 33-year old from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara said: “The cost of living is not affecting me in any way because I’m working enough to help provide for the home. I live with my parents and all of us contribute financially to the home. Obviously, the cost of living is affecting us all over the world, not only in Guyana, but prices for items goes up every couple years. We just have to learn to budget. That’s a normal trend where the prices for items always go up in the markets. My parents look after the shopping but what I can say is that the prices for items have increased in the market. For example, 1-litre bottle cooking oil has increased to about $1,000 now; the cost was cheaper before. If you grow your own things, you should not get a problem with the high cost of living because we have our own home garden where we plant our own seasonings and vegetables.”
Gerald Persaud
Gerald Persaud, who hails from the West Ruimveldt said: “Well, you to abide with the cost of living, you can’t change it. I abide with all the high prices that comes by budgeting, buying whatever food items I need and I try to save as much as I can. I’m living alone. I would usually buy fast food and eat, which the cost has increased as well. For instance, a couple months back I used to buy a half box food for $800; now I’m buying the same half box food for $1,000. A 10-lbs cylinder cooking gas a couple months back cost $3,200; now the gas cost $4,500. Life goes on as we grow, so I think we should try to cope with the rising cost of living.”
Rickford Batson
Rickford Batson, a 37-year-old from Tucville said: “The cost of living is very stiff for an honest working person because if you go to the market right now, a piece of pumpkin cost $500. You know long ago we used to pay like $200 for a piece of pumpkin. The cost of a piece of pumpkin now is actually double the price. Employers, especially the private sector, refusing to raise people’s salary; the employers are finding ways to beat the system instead. The government is not looking into the private sector as much as they are doing with the public sector. I think the government should look into the private sector more because when you are looking at the news on television, you are seeing that, oh public sector being awarded so and so, public sector money raising and this and that. Private sector staying one way all the time. A lot of these private companies cheating Guyanese workers in terms of their payments and when you complain about the issue or ask for a raise of pay that can get you dismissed from the work. Nobody from the government is looking into these things. A lot of items gone up in the markets, for example, cooking oil, soap powder, soap, greens, channa and so have increased. Before a 1-litre bottle of cooking oil cost about $600/$700; now the oil cost $1,000. At the Chinese supermarket, you will buy the oil for $940/$980. If you check the increase of food items versus the salary you received monthly, it’s a vast difference. My common-law partner, my daughter and I live together and both my partner and I work to maintain the home. I’m a security guard. What I can say is that before the pandemic I could have done a lot more things with my money but after the pandemic, things change up; items got a bit more expensive.”
Kenny Jones
Kenny Jones, a 43-year-old resident of Tucville said: “Well, I’m a father of six children and I try to work odd jobs just to take care of my children. In terms of money, when I’m thinking that this is time for things to get better, the times are getting worse. If you don’t have money, you can’t maintain your children, so every day you might find me driving, doing construction work and other odd jobs to provide for my family. I’m divorced, my wife lives with four of the children while I live with two. Both of us work and support our children. I can name a lot of items that are expensive in the markets. When I go to purchase an item from the Bounty supermarket today, I would purchase the item for one price, when I return to the supermarket, the cost for the item increases. Same goes for the markets. For example, when I purchase callaloo from the market, I used to buy one parcel of callaloo for $100; now I’m buying three small parcels of callaloo for $500. Well, the prices for pumpkin and fruits have gone up in the market. Before a slice of watermelon cost $500 depending on the size; now I’m paying $700 a slice. One of the key things that can help with the cost of living is for people to get a permanent job you can depend on, not a job you have to keep running from, unless if it’s a paying job.”
Allison Ellis
Allison Ellis, a 44-year-old Dazell Housing Scheme single mother said: “The cost of living is affecting me tremendously because the cost for everything just increasing in the markets. I know before I use to purchase a litre bottle oil for $300; now I’m buying the same oil for $600/$700. But, there are places you can go and purchase items at a cheaper cost. I’m thankful to God that I have a small family of three, including my two daughters. We try to cope with the cost of living. My daughters and I are working to pay the rent together and so. I don’t know what would have happened if I had a lot of children. Recently, I have noticed that the prices for chicken, beef, rice, milk have gone up. Actually, everything have gone up, even cosmetics. For example, recently I paid $600 for a Dove deodorant; right now, the deodorant has gone up by $100. If the government could raise our salary or give us vouchers or cash grant monthly or coupons that could help us, the people, to buy certain items, that will be good. In that way, we don’t have to spend so much of money for an item.”
Wanita Pearson
Wanita Pearson, a 42-year-old D’Urban Street resident said: “Well, I’m not getting to save as much as I want because every time I go in the market, everything gets more expensive. I’m a family of four which includes my three children. My daughter and I work to provide for the home. A pound of cabbage that cost $300 and something before; now cost $600 and $400 at some places. Also, a medium size oil that cost $1,400 before; now cost $2,000 in the market. I think the government should consider increasing people’s salary to help with the rising cost of living.”
Laurie Gibson
Laurie Gibson, a 62-year-old resident of Berbice said: “I think it is very tedious when people resign at the age of 55 and have to wait until they are the age 65 to receive their pension. This is hard on some people because not everyone has family or someone to support them during the process. Some of us are only receiving pension, not NIS so it will be difficult for them. I think the government should look into this. I’m waiting on my pension but I’m currently receiving my NIS stipend. When I receive my NIS stipend, I have to be careful what I’m doing with the money because I have to pay the bills and when I’m finished paying the bills, I have to buy like cooking gas and food items. I could barely purchase a piece of fish and chicken; after that I left with nothing. All items have increase in the markets. I live alone. My son works aways from home and would support me. For example, 5 lbs of sugar before cost $300; now the same 5 lbs sugar cost $400, depending on the place you purchase the sugar from. When you are old sometimes, you don’t want to move from one place to another. The greens and fruits prices fluctuate a lot and that is what old people need. Right now, their prices are a little high. The cost for fish is high, if you buy it from the fisheries, you might get it a little reasonable. Three-quarter bangamary fish before at the market cost $500, depending on the size; now I’m buying two bangamary fish for $500. I think the government should monitor the way the wholesaler and retailers are selling their food items because when people’s salary increases, those people increase their price more.”
Diana Williams
Diana Williams, a 50-year-old Norton Street resident said: “The cost of living is life we can’t change life. When things increase, we just have to try with the situation. If the prices are low, the same thing. We can’t do anything about the high cost, we just have to live and do the right thing. I’m a family of four. My son and I run a party rental business to pay our house rent. When I go in the shop with $10,000, I don’t see what I buy because I receive a small quantity of items for my money. Right now, the cost for cooking gas has increased. For me, the cost of living is difficult but I’m trying to cope with it by planting and so. The poor people are feeling the cost of living more. Something should be done to help the poor people. Even the transportation fare gone up. Transportation from Norton Street to South Ruimveldt before cost $500; now I’m paying $1,000 for the same drop.”
Anita McKintyre
Anita McKintyre, a 42-year-old single mother of East Ruimveldt said: “As a single mother of three children, I normally get up and sell fruits and greens in Bourda market to provide for my children and to pay my house rent. On some days I don’t sell anything and some days I would sell. The cost of living is really hard then the school wants you to buy things for my children to use in the classroom. It’s really hard because I have to pay the water bill, rent and buy food items. Sometimes I feel like I want to give up but I don’t give up, I continue to sell to make money to provide for the home. We can’t do anything about the rising cost of living because at the end of the day if you reach the President, I mean the government, doing good, yes. I can’t sit down, I have to help myself. For example, a few months ago a pound of cheese cost about $900/$800; now a pound of cheese cost about $1,300/$1,200. Another thing that gone up is cooking gas. Before a 10 lb cylinder cooking gas was cheaper; now the gas cost about $1,900 and something.I think we should cope with the cost of living. “
Lindon Reece
Lindon Reece, a 63-year-old West Bank Demerara resident said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I tremendously. Coconut water that I normally buy for about $240; now the coconut water cost $500. There is increase in salary and we are getting oil money. I take a different approach. Everybody saying the government building roads and the government building schools. For me, when you are in government, under any government you have to build roads and you have to build houses. That’s basic. Anything you do outside of that then I say praises to you. So, the cost of living is hitting us like crazy. Well, the gasoline hasn’t raised but the cost for every other thing has risen. I normally buy Cayenne bananas for $300 a pound then it went to $400; now a pound of Cayenne bananas cost $600 a pound. Both my common-law wife and I work, so both salaries are combined to provide for the family of four. My son also works and help to support us too. My daughter still goes to school. I think the government should place control prices for food items, if anyone raises the prices more than the control price place on the items then they should face the consequences. “
