Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Sophia, Georgetown and New Amsterdam, Berbice about the cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal and Aaliyah McFarlane
Rehanna Goriah, a 44-year-old shop owner said: “Everything raising in the market but I’m still going; my family and I are coping with it. Well I’m seeing that the oil price drop back in the market and this is good. Things such as Nestum porridge for the baby expensive. A big tin of Nestum cost $1,960/$2,000 now; couple of months back, the price was $1,300. I don’t think the government can do anything about the rising cost of living, we the people just have to cope with it.”
Abdul Ali, a 34-year-old mechanic and all-rounder said: “The cost of living is really expensive on food stuff when buying from shops in the area. You are left with no choice to buy from the town markets, in which things are still expensive. For instance, a one litre drink now cost $400; before the cost was $260/$300. Even a bag of tennis rolls expensive. A bag cost $360 now at the shop; before the cost was $200. Every day things raising despite you go to the town markets and it’s affecting me because I’m saving less but spending more and my salary is low. Also, over 15 years now, I applied for a land but until now, I didn’t get through. I’m still living on the reserve. I have to get money to get the land too but seeing that my salary is low and things are expensive, it is hard on me to reach the amount. I really would like if the government can help me out with this and for the government to come to Sophia and investigate and listen to everyone’s opinions in relation to the high rise in food stuff, among other issues.”
Roy Baignath, a carpenter and mason said: “Everything gone up in the markets because of the high prices at the shops and markets. This is affecting me since the little income I earn per day, I can’t save. I can’t blame my boss because his salary is low, too. I have to keep working every day to maintain my family. Simple things such as drinking water and cooking gas expensive. I would refill a five-gallon drinking water bottle from the truck that comes in Sophia for $260 now; before the price was $140. Now a small cooking gas cost $4,800; before the cost was $3,300. Even down to construction material gone up and I can’t afford it. A sack of Hard Rock cement now cost $2,000, before the cost was $1,100. The government should see what they he can do to help us because there is so much poor family that need help. Also, our salary need raising because everything expensive in the markets.”
Shawn Grovesnor, said: “Everything expensive in the market. I would normally brush cut people’s yard but because the machine is not working, I’m now doing road works. Everything expensive in the market and without money I can’t buy items that I need. I just have to think about survival. For instance, main items such as rice gone up, a big Karibee rice now cost $2,000; before the price was $1,500/$1,300 a bag. Also, there is sugar – a pound of sugar cost $240/$200 now, before the cost was $100. I think the government should place price control on items that are sold in the market. The prices in the markets are not stable, there’s no price control; everyday people are raising the prices on items.”
Malcum Robinson, a 28-year-old fast-food vendor said: “Things such as building material expensive and among others, are goods that are raising every day in the markets. A sack of Hard Rock cement cost $1,900 now, before the cost was $1,700/1,800. Even sand all expensive, a load of sand was $35,000 before; a load of sand went up to $40,000 then went up again to $45,000. I’m building a house in Red Road at the moment and I’m seeing that everything gone up on building materials; there are no price control on items. The government should try to carry down prices in the market and also, place control prices on the items. When I go to the market to shop people telling you, things raise and I would have to work with a budget when I go to the market to get what I need.”
Kirth Bristol, a 41-year-old fruits vendor said: “Important items in the market gone up because people spending more money. The people’s salary is not raising. As such when people come to shop in the market they don’t want to pay the price for the items since they can’t afford it. The items I’m buying to sell back is expensive too, so I have to raise my price to make a profit on my investment. For example, a few months ago I use to buy oranges wholesale from the supplier for $2,000 for a hundred oranges; now I’m buying that same hundred oranges for $10,000. Right now, I’m buying banana wholesale for $70/$80 a pound; before that same pound cost $25/$30. This country is producing oil and certain people enjoying it while some are not and things just going up in the market. The government is promoting the theme, ‘One Guyana’ which is good, however, they should stop closing industries down and create more jobs for people so people can find work to cope with the cost of living.”
Patricia Usher, a 77-year-old rice vendor said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because I have bills to pay and I don’t have any extra income coming in, other than selling at the moment. Every day things going up in the market. For instance, I’m buying the big bag Karibee rice for $7,200; before the cost was $5,000 for the same bag. Sugar gone up too, a pound of sugar a few months ago cost $80; now a pound of sugar cost more. The government should implement price control on item like how it was years ago, to aid people with the cost of living.”
Dharamraj Bishwan, a 50-year-old jewelry vendor said: ”The cost of living is high in Berbice, even down to the taxi fare expensive when I’m travelling from Vigilance on the East Coast Demerara to the New Amsterdam market every day to sell. For instance, when Covid came, the taxi driver start charging $2,000 each for four persons going the same route; before the fare was $1,500 per person. Until now the fare remain the same. Apart from that, jobs are hard to find and I must say the sanitation of the New Amsterdam market is in a poor condition. The market is full with cockroaches. Another thing is that stagnant water is used by vendors when dealing with fish in the market, and the same fishes are being sold to consumers. The government should look into this. Back to the cost of living, everything expensive in the market including greens. The price for bora, for example, expensive. Now a bundle of bora cost $500; before the cost per bora was $200. Fuel price all gone up. The government should look in to this, and create more jobs for people because people can’t afford to buy things in the market. Salary also need to raise. When the rain falls we get flooding here too, so this too affects people.”
Ewart Cort said: “Everything is expensive in the market. There is no control prices on commodities in the markets, people just calling their own prices for items. On top of that, the people’s salary is not raising but the cost of living is high. Due to this, the cost of living now, is hard to cope with. For example, a pound of plantain a few months back was $60/$50; now a pound of plantain cost $260/$300, depending on the size. The government should place control prices on items so people can afford to buy food items.”
Haniff Bacchus said: “The cost of living is really affecting me. I heard the government is helping small business to help them financially. I tried applying, however I didn’t get through because I didn’t meet the requirements. This is so because as a person that sells CD, among other things for years, I don’t make anything much. Everything now all expensive, I can’t even afford to buy certain things. I can’t even afford to buy a piece of land because my income is small. I don’t even know how to apply for the land. Another thing, right now my electricity bill increase from $3,000 to $6,000 a month. I’m not even getting the quality of CD I want these days whenever I buy to sell back. The government should help the poor people out and not the rich ones.”
