Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Mocha on the East Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Tiffany Jeremiah
Tiffany Jeremiah, a 28-year-old single parent and poultry farmer said: “Actually everything gone up in the market and it is hard for me as a single parent to support my two kids financially. I’m rearing chicken and the feed price is expensive. The money I make from rearing chickens is small because when I’m finished taking out my expenditure to rear my chicken, the money I’m left with could hardly cover the expenses for my family consisting of three persons. For instance, a bag of feed a few months ago cost $5,200; now the cost for a bag of feed is $6,900. I’m really hoping to see the reduction in the cost for feed soon in Guyana. Also, food prices are expensive in general, such as: rice, oil, etc. A medium bag of Karibee rice cost $2,000 now; a couple months back the cost was $1,300. A three-litre bottle oil now cost $2,200; before the cost was $1,200. I think every month each household should receive something from the government to aid with the high rise in prices when people are purchasing basic food items.”
Joan Fernandes
Joan Fernandes said: “Everything gone up in the market and the high price for food items are affecting me a lot. I have nine children and I can tell you that every minute they are hungry and I would have to run and buy something for them to eat. Even down to the salt biscuits are expensive, a box of salted biscuits now cost $1,100; before the cost was $940. Every time I go to the market something always rising. For example, the cost per pound of cabbage a couple months ago was $260; now the cost per pound of cabbage is $400. Meat all expensive, a pound of chicken now cost $500; before the cost was $460. Also, a pound of beef cost $700 now; before the same pound cost $600. The government should help families with the high prices food items are sold for in the market since most families are having difficulties buying items to feed their families.”
Trecia Lindon
Trecia Lindon, a 37-year-old security officer said: “Every time I go to the shop, something always going up. Both my husband and I work but still our salaries are not enough to feed a family of five persons, including our three children. It is hard on us because now we can’t save; instead we are spending more. Basic items such as milk and rice gone up in the shop. A small pack Karibee rice cost $2,100 now; before the same pack cost $1,800 and something. A small pack Natura milk now cost $760; before the cost was $500. I’m trying to cope with the cost of living, however, the government need to cut down on sales tax for basic food items because the people can’t afford to buy food items.”
Jada Hope
Jada Hope said: “Food items are sold in the market at a very unfair cost which consumer can’t afford to pay because our salaries are small. I think the government should have more farmers producing our local items because it doesn’t make sense consumers are paying a high cost for food items when the salary is low. The government should raise people’s salary because everything gone up in the market. For instance, a pound of cheese cost $1,000 now; before the cost was $500/$400 a pound. Even the cost for a pound of butter expensive. A pound of golden cream butter cost $1,000 now; before the same pound cost around $400. Another thing, I have an extended family that consist of eight persons and my sister and I are not working, our grandparents, uncles and aunts provide for us. However, with the high cost of food items in the market, I would really like to get a job. I know I’m studying but just to help the adults home with the high cost since my sister will be starting secondary school soon and family members will also like to buy things for themselves. The high cost we are experiencing right now, things are hard on all of us and not to mention the inside of our home is still under repairs. I think the government should drop the prices for basic food items in the market, if possible, raise people’s salary.”
Junnola Ramsay
Junnola Ramsay, a 29-year-old researcher said: “The cost of living affects our salary in particular because of the fluctuation of prices in the market. You find that every person, especially the ones that are stuck below the threshold, wouldn’t be able to afford to buy the food items they need. The government should implement a strategy that can accommodate multiple persons who barely can afford to buy food items, including the people with a lot of children. Everything gone up in the market. For instance, a pound of garlic cost $300/$360 now; before the cost per pound of garlic was $160/$140. Also, a pound of onions cost $260/$270 now; before the cost was $80/$60 a pound. The government should consider reducing taxes on certain food items so people can afford to buy basic food items. Another thing, I have a mother that suffered a stroke a couple months back and the transportation cost from Mocha to Berbice is costly and mind you, I still have to travel there with her for regular doctors’ checkup. Also, since her stroke she has been left paralyzed and the taxi fare I have to pay to rush her to the Diamond Health centre when she gets sick is expensive. Even the bus fare for me when travelling from Mocha to Georgetown is expensive. The cost of living in general is high and as such people are suffering from mental issues because they ponder on how they will get finance to buy items for their family, a lot of persons in Mocha are suffering with this, some of them end up doing drugs while some develop schizophrenia… The government should reduce the cost of living and increase the threshold for persons who are working below the minimum wage, especially persons working with private entities. Also, to ensure other incentives are given to persons working with an organisation for a long time. This will really help people provide for their families.”
Brittny Grant
Brittny Grant, a 32-year-old caterer said: “Everything expensive in the market. I have three kids going to school and I can tell you the transportation cost and problems getting transportation from Mocha to Prospect Housing scheme and vice versa is troublesome. I live in Prospect and I would usually travel from there to go to the clinic in Mocha a lot and I can tell if you lucky to get a taxi from Mocha to Prospect for $3,000, you are lucky. The cost for a short drop out of the scheme is expensive, even in Prospect. Also, if I try to catch a bus after 7:30 in Prospect, it is really hard, both the cost and the problem to get transportation to travel from and to these areas are troublesome and not to mention when my children attend primary school on a daily basis in Mocha. It is really frustrating to get transportation. Also, the cost for main items that I use in the preparation of my food is expensive. For instance, a three-litre bottle of oil cost $2,000/$2,200 now; before the cost was $1,600/$1,300 for the same bottle. Sugar all expensive, a pound of sugar now cost $200/$220; a few months ago a pound of sugar was $180. I can’t say what the government should do about the rising cost of living but what I’m seeing is basic food items don’t have any price control in the market and our local items are sold expensive, not forgetting imported items too.
David Haynes
David Haynes, 43-year-old single parent said: “Everything expensive in the market because there is no price control on items sold in the market. Different places are selling items for a different cost. Also, every time you buy from the market/shop, something raising. For instance, a case of Busta drinks cost $2,000 now; a couple months back the case cost $1,600. Even the cost for a case of Lucozade gone up, a case cost $1,000 and something now; before the cost was cheaper. Guyana is producing sugar and a pack of sugar is expensive. A pack of Demerara Gold sugar cost $300 and something now; before the cost was $200 and something for the same pack. Other basic items such as: fuel, milk, oil, rice, gone up. A big pack of Fernleaf milk now cost $1,000; before the same pack cost $600.The government should look into the rising cost of living more. As a single parent of three children, the high price is not only affecting me but everyone in Guyana. This country have oil and it seems like, we the people, are not getting anything out of it because everything just rising in the market. Even the cost of tires to maintain my car is expensive. We the people need to enjoy the sweetness of everything. I’m thankful for the $45,000 cash grant I received for my children but still that amount can’t do because the prices for items in the market is way too expensive. When I’m buying items, I’m spending more for them and receiving less items. The government should look into this, as well as to reduce duties on imported items.”
Yonick Knight
Yonick Knight, a 28-year-old construction worker said: “Everything expensive in the market/shop and although my salary increased from $6,000 to $8,000 a week, I’m still finding it hard to support my family of two, including my daughter. Right now a pound of sugar cost $200 at the shop; before the cost was $60 a pound. A bag of Tennis Rolls consisting of five cost $320 now; a couple months back the cost for the same bag of Tennis Rolls was $160. Plantains cost $240 a pound now; before a pound of plantains was $80. I can’t save anything. Instead I’m spending more for items in the market and at the shops. The government should work toward reducing the cost for basic food items in order to help people with the cost of living.”
Johnson Lebon
Johnson Lebon, a 79-year-old pensioner said: “As a single parent of one son, every time we go to buy goods from the market, prices goes up. Basic items such as sugar and rice gone up in the market. A pound of sugar now cost about $120; before the cost was $75/$80. Also, the sugar I’m buying comes with a lot of bricks. Even the big bag Karibee rice I usually buy from the market comes with some small black things. The Karibee rice cost $1,800 now; before the cost was $1,700 for the big bag. I planted vegetables in my yard and even the planter can’t reap its own produce because other persons in the neighbourhood is very much in need of it, they would pick it out before I do. Things are really expensive in the market. As a pensioner, it is really hard on me when buying items from the market. I noticed certain fruits such as oranges, tangerine and others, are not tasting nice now and they spoil fast. It can be the fertilisers farmers using on the plants. What I can say is that these fruits are expensive even though they spoil quickly. I don’t think the government can do anything about the high prices food items are sold for in the market because the government is receiving pressure all around, not only in Guyana, so they have to raise their prices. We just have to cope with the rising cost of living. Another thing, a particular bridge and certain roads in Mocha need reconstructing because the bridge is in a deplorable state and certain roads in Mocha have potholes, making it difficult when it rains.”
Idalee Deonarine
Idalee Deonarine, a 69-year-old pensioner said: “Everything gone up in the market, including vegetables and this is affecting me a lot since I’m spending more money for basic food items in the market and saving less. For example, a piece of pumpkin cost $400/$300 now; before the cost was $200. If you have a big family, you have to get more money to buy pumpkin. Also, there is the meat, a pound of beef cost $800 now; before the cost was $400. Beef is being produce right here, the cow eats grass and we don’t have to buy grass. So I don’t understand why the beef is so expensive. Even chicken gone up, a pound of chicken cost $500 now; before the cost was $300 a pound. Feed price all gone up. The government should look into this.”
