Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Victoria and Vigilance on the East Coast Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Mark Singh
Mark Singh, a minibus driver, said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot every day because when I go to the shop, things raise and this is really hard on me and my family. I can remember a couple of months back, I would use $40,000 for my monthly groceries, now I have to go to the market with $60,000/$80,000 to buy my monthly groceries. This is not easy for me seeing that everything gone up in the market. For example, a pack of Huggies pampers cost $5,500 now, a few months back the cost was $5,000. Even down to milk expensive; brake pads is another thing that is expensive. A couple of months ago, a pair of brake pads cost about $3,500, now the cost is $5,000. I think the government should look into what they can do for the poorer class of people because everyone is struggling with the rising cost of living.”
Brandon Calist
Brandon Calist, a 24-year-old wash bay attendant said: “The majority of items gone up in the market such as: rice, flour, sugar; etc. I’m trying to manage the cost of living because I have to provide for my son even though I’m spending more money than I’m saving. Nowadays, when you go to the market with $5,000, it finished fast because the prices are high on food items; for instance, sugar. A pound of sugar now is about $160/$150 some places while before the same pound of sugar cost about $70. A next thing is the small pack Karibee rice. A few months ago the pack cost about $2,000, now that same pack is sold for $2,500; even oil expensive. I will like the government to look into the situation and try to reduce the cost of living on basic food items.”
Francis Wilfred
Francis Wilfred, a pensioner said: “Everything in the supermarket gone up and the salary is not raising. This affects me because every time I go to the market/supermarket things gone up. I would have to walk to see where is selling cheaper, to buy groceries. I’m trying with the rise in these food items. Look at the cost milk is sold for now in the market. A small pack of Turbo milk is $860 and even more expensive at some shops, before the cost was $400/$500 a pack. A pound of plantains now cost $260, before the cost was $80/$60 a pound. This is something that grows right here and look how expensive it is? I will like the government to look into the cost of living to see why basic food items are sold so expensive. Another thing, I will like the government to come into Victoria village and check the roads out because some roads need building.”
Robert Nero
Robert Nero, a 62-year-old tinsmith said: “Items raise in the market but people’s salary is not rising. I think it will be more economical for people when shopping for food items if the government raise people’s salary and this will make them feel better too. If you look at homes that have about three/four children, a person carrying home $60,000 a month can’t buy anything much for their children with the prices being so high in the market for food items. I’m trying with the cost of living. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to afford thing because I find I’m spending more than I’m saving even though I’m self employed as a Tinsmith. Look at things like plantains that grows right here – it is expensive. A pound of plantains cost $260/$280 at some places, before a pound was $50. Things are rising in the market and it’s either we buy it or leave it. Natura milk all gone up in the market, the medium pack now cost $700/$800, before the cost was about $400 and something. I think the government should place price control on basic food items in order to reduce the rising cost of living.”
Assanah
Assanah, a 58-year-old vendor said: “Items go up in the market every day. The items doesn’t have one standard price. I see certain seasoning price fluctuates in the market such as eschallot; well celery is at a high price right now: a pound of celery is $2,500. Before, a pound of celery was $1,200 in the market. Greens such as boulanger, I see gone up in the market. One boulanger is for $100 now, a few months ago I would have gotten 3 for $200. Meat all gone up, now 3 butter fish cost $1,000, before it was sold at a cheaper price. I normally would sell on the road front in the afternoon, just to bring in some extra income so I could afford to buy things I need. I try to manage the cost of living but still, it affects me as a single parent. This country is producing oil now and I think the government should reach out to every household to provide help at least every year since the cost of living is high.”
Morrison
Morrison, 46-year-old self-employed person said: “Basic food items gone up in the market. I see things like garlic gone up in the market. A pound of garlic cost $320 now, before the cost was $160, different place you shop have different prices per item. Well I see sugar gone down but things such as onions are expensive now. I had to cut down on the usage of onions because it’s hard to buy them since the price is high. The government should look into why items are sold so expensive in the market and allow price control on goods in the country. Also, I don’t think we should get upset with the persons who are selling onions at an expensive price, instead look into the importers who are selling the onions to the wholesalers/retailers. And, farmers I think are using a lot of fertilizers on the eschallot causing it to spoil. The government should check this out too.”
Osmond Simon
Osmond Simon, a 43-year-old blockmaker and landscaper said: “Items such as milk and oil gone up among other things in the market. A small Natura milk cost about $700 now, before the cost was $480. A one-litre bottle oil now cost $700, before the same bottle oil cost $500. I think since the Ukraine war, food items have gone up in Guyana. The price for some items fluctuates every time I go to the market; things get expensive every day in the market. Some parents can’t even buy juice for their children seeing that things gone up in the market. Even celery gone up in the market. I think the government should reach out to consumers and see why things are so expensive because people’s salary is not rising but the price per item is.”
Corwin Maxwell
Corwin Maxwell, a 21-year-old blockmaker and landscaper said: “Mainly food items are expensive in the market. A big pack Thunderbolt was $300 and something, now that same pack cost $500 and something. Even cement gone up. When I go back to the store another week and compare the cement (Rock hard) price with last week price at the same store, I could see the pack of cement increase by $1,000. I’m working right now to ease the pressure off my parents because it is six of us in my family and everything expensive in the market. I think the government should invest more in small businesses and to look into ways to ease the high price on basic food items.”
Shevon Dowden
Shevon Dowden, a 40-year-old food vendor said: “Everything gone up a lot in the market and as a food vendor, I cater for the schoolchildren’s needs. And, I won’t raise my price for my food I’m selling to them because it would be unfair to jack-up the price. Instead I would sell my food at a low cost which result in me spending more than I’m earning. This affects me because the items are expensive in the market and I too have a family to provide for. Basic items such as onions I see gone up in the market, among other things. A pound of onion cost $200/$250 depending on the place you buy from, before a pound of onion cost $160. A pound of flour cost $316/$400 at some place now. Before, a pound of flour cost $200 and something. The Natura and Fernleaf milk all expensive. The government should give parents a little money, so they can afford to buy things to supply for the children because some days parents don’t have money to send their children to school. On top of that, teachers want parents to put money, to buy things for an assignment or contribution at school but seeing that everything is expensive in the market, it is going to be expensive on the parents.”
Ornetta Barry
Ornetta Barry, a 29-year-old self-employed woman said: “Things raise a lot in the market. A 2-litre bottle oil now cost $3,200. Before, the cost was $1,522, depending on the shop you buy it from. Down to sugar expensive; a pound of sugar is $200 now. Couple months ago the cost was $80 a pound. Sometimes I don’t have money to buy the items I need and would have to do without. I think the government should at least lower the cost of basic food items.”
Tisheree Hopkinson
Tisheree Hopkinson said: “Majority of stuff gone down in the market. Now I find that since the greens and groceries price gone down, I’m able to save now because what gone down in the market will assist with the price that raise. I see that oil gone down because the 5-gallon oil a few months ago was $10,500; the cost is $7000 now. Other things including sugar I see gone down too. Well things such as plantain and onions gone up. A pound of plantain cost 240 now. Before, a pound was $80. Also, a bag of onions now is $8,500. Before the same bag cost $5,500. I think the government should raise people’s salary and give us some allowances.”
Tyson Parris
Tyson Parris said: “Basic items such as cooking gas, sugar, among other things, gone up in the market. A bottle of Shell cooking gas now cost $5000. The cost was $3,800 a few months ago. A pound of plantain cost $250/$260. Before the cost was $160 a pound. These high prices affect me a lot because yes I’m working alone but I’m also a single parent and witnessing how these prices for basic food items rising every day, is really hard for me. I’m glad if the government can reduce prices on basic food items in the market.”
