Interviews and photos by Shabna Rahman
The cost of living continues to rise and many people are affected by it. Stabroek News spoke to vendors and shoppers during the Saturday evening market at Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo:
‘The grocery is very expensive… The price for everything gone sky high so it is really affecting me. I buy vegetables to sell and I have to pay the farmers a lot for it. Now we have to sell it back expensive and customers don’t want to pay the price. So the market is very rough. I went to Leonora market this morning to sell and I have a lot of produce left back. So I had to come here to sell. It is really rough… market really rough, especially now that it is coming on to year end and closer to the Christmas holiday. I used to have enough money from my sales to pay my bills and run the house, but now I can’t make it. The cost of living get high, high, everything raise up. I have to cut back on a lot of things that I used to buy. I have kids going to school and you know how much expense that is. They always have to get books and pay to get assignment printed and so on. I don’t know what the government would do about the cost of living, but I hope they can bring it down in the new year. I hope we get a bright Christmas.’
Etwaru Hanna, pensioner/farmer,
‘The cost of living is not affecting me. I am getting pension now and I’m getting money from my farm at Parika Backdam. That is enough to sustain me and my wife up-to-date. We are not short of anything. I don’t have a financial problem. Any other problem would be she giving it to me, that is if I don’t have more money to give her (he joked). I am looking forward to having a bright Christmas with my family, especially my grandchildren.’
Sandra Ramsamair, vendor,
‘I am selling in this market and the business is not as bright as before. If the farmers are finding it hard to bring down their expenses, they will increase the price for their produce. We have to increase our prices also. When we finish selling and get back the capital, we’re hardly left with any profit. The cost of living is affecting me but I have to try. Every day when I go to the shop the prices increase. Sometimes most of the items would go up by more than $500. Some items are cheap and some are expensive, but what you would do? You still have to buy.’
Boodram Teekhram, farmer,
‘I do farming at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice and I travel to Hydronie market every week to sell my produce. The cost of living is affecting me because the price that I have to pay to grow the crop is very high. Items like fertilizer and chemicals are very expensive and sometimes I run at a loss. We have to bring the produce from Berbice but we’re not getting the price. It would help the farmers a lot if the government can reduce the cost for the drugs and fertilizer. The president (Irfaan Ali) already said that he would reduce the price but so far we didn’t see any reduction as yet. If he helps us out with that we can sell the produce cheaper and the vendors can sell it cheaper as well and everybody can afford. If the fertilizer price keeps going up all the time, the prices for vegetables would keep skyrocketing.’
Savi Singh, vendor,
’The cost of living is very high and the produce that comes out of the farm is very expensive. We have to buy it for a high price and we’re getting a hard time to sell it back. The market is very slow. People cannot afford to buy. They would ask the prices and walk away. Everything is expensive in the shops too and the money don’t reach for the amount of groceries I would normally buy. It is very hard financially and I have to cut back on a lot of items. I also have bills to pay and I’m finding it very hard. We need some help, like for the food items to be cheaper to reach people’s income. Besides, due to the rainy season, the vegetables are melting a lot. I think too much rain and the sun destroying the crops. There is a shortage for some vegetables right now due to the weather and today the prices raise up back again. For instance, we had to pay $1000 for a bundle of bora wholesale. When we retail it we would just make $300 on it. Last week we purchased boulanger for $5000 and this week we paid $8000 and $9000 (per bag). I just hope we can do better business for the holidays.’
Michael Bolton, labourer at lumber yard,
‘The cost of living is not affecting me. I live with my father and we contribute towards running the home. The money I work for is enough to help to purchase whatever we need and to pay the bills. Thankfully, I still get to save a little from it.
I hear people complaining that the prices for a lot of items increased and that they cannot afford a lot of things.
But I am not having that problem. I’m hoping to spend a joyous Christmas with my family and have a good time.’
Cecil Bicessar, pensioner/vendor,
‘I am a pensioner and my money is not enough so that is why I can’t give up selling in the market. The last light bill came up to $22,000. I just have a little freezer and a fridge and I would turn off my lights early at nights. When I finished paying bills for electricity, water and phone, I don’t have much money left back for food. That’s why I have to come out and hustle in the market.
I sell dry goods and vegetables. A few weeks ago, thieves cut the zinc on my stall and stole about $1.5 million in items. I am a Christian and I had a music system I that I used to play gospel music on.
The thieves took it away and three big bag of shoes and all of the new tops. My wife is not in the best of health so I have to sell alone.
When she feels better she would come out and help me. I used to have a bond on the government reserve and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council broke it down and seized everything from it, including a freezer and a generator. The matter is in the court.
I feel I was being discriminated against. Right now some people are using the same spot to operate a wash bay service and nobody is telling them anything.’
Norman, vendor: ‘The cost of living is affecting me because I’m not making the amount of money like before from selling. Right now the market is kind of flat… it is very slow. The agricultural produce is very expensive. I think that President Irfaan Ali should look in to the fertilizer price… The price is kinda high and that is affecting the farmers. They have to increase the wholesale price for their produce to cover their expenses. As vendors, we are finding it hard because the customers cannot afford to buy like before. Also, I have to do less spending when I go to the shop because the prices for everything increase.’
