Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the areas of Leonora and Stewartville on the West Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Seeta Mature said: “With the prices for food items going up every week in the market, persons who have a lot of children are finding it hard to buy food items in the market. I’m a family of three persons including my husband and grand daughter and I can tell you that even though I have a part-time job with the government, food items are still expensive. My husband works but still there is other expenses we have to pay. My daughter send money to buy my granddaughter’s snack which cost about $10,000 and then there is another cost attached to cover the lessons fees. It’s not easy on my daughter too since she’s paying $40,000 in rent when the month comes and until now she hasn’t received her turn-key home although, it has been a while since she had applied. I really would like the government to assist her in acquiring her home. I’m really trying to provide for my family despite the food items are sold expensive in the market. Right now, sugar is among one of the items in the market that is expensive. A pound of sugar is $400 now; a couple months back a pound of sugar cost $100. Also, the cost for a gallon rice is $1,200 now; before the cost was $1,000. The government should look into the cost of living and try to help the people in some way since the prices are still high in the market.”
Bibi Okelan, a 69-year-old pensioner said: “I’m a family of two and what I find is that everything gone up in the market. I’m not working anywhere. Basically, my grandson and I survive on my pension which I’m thankful for. However, the prices groceries are sold at in the shop, is very high. Medication that I normally use on a daily basis, gone up too. I’m trying to cope with whatever little I have. I even tried to sell kerosene a few months back but the kerosene got expensive; I eventually stopped. The price i paid for kerosene to full a 5-gallon bottle at the time cost $4,000; before it raised, the cost was $3,000 to full the same bottle. Until now, the kerosene price is high. The government is very good, I won’t complain, I just have to cope with the rising cost of living.”
Fizul Sanichar, a 34-year-old fruit vendor said: “Everything raise in the market, especially fruits and I find that I’m selling less items. The wholesalers raise their price for their watermelons so I’m left with no choice to raise mine. The customers complained about the price but there is nothing I can do because the wholesaler I buy watermelons from complains about the duties on the watermelons he has to pay when importing watermelons and travelling expenses he incurred when transporting the watermelons. I’m buying watermelons at $120 per pound wholesale now; a couple months back I used to buy watermelons at $60/$70 wholesale. Even vegetables and groceries expensive. I have a family of four and besides the fruits stand I have at the corner of the road, I opened a grocery shop at my home too, just to provide for my family because everything gone up in the market now. I’m trying to cope with the cost of living every day. I think the government should see how they can drop the price on food items because everything raise and more money have to be spent on food items that we use on a daily basis.”
Ingrid Singh, a 40-year-old vendor said: “Everything gone up in the supermarket/shops and this affects me a lot because I’m the sole breadwinner in my family. My husband is not working because he’s sickly and every month, I have to pay $12,000 to have a dialysis done for him. As a person who started as a fast-food vendor, sometimes business can be slow and since the price for items raise in the market, my family and I find it difficult to buy food items from the supermarket/shop. I had to extend my business by selling fruits but that too, is selling slow. I’m still finding it hard when buying food items since everything raise and keep in mind, I have to pay for a monthly dialysis for my husband and this is really hard on me. Items such as flour, oil, onions etc gone up. A pack of Thunderbolt flour cost $2,600 now; before the cost was $2,200. Also, a five-gallon oil cost $7,400; before the cost was $6,800. I heard that the price for some items sold in the market drop but in the supermarket the items are sold for the same price. I think the government should work toward reducing the price for food items.”
Rondell Naipaul, a 21-year-old construction worker said: “As a family of four persons including my wife and two kids, $8,000 a day is good but I’m not getting to save anything since the prices for food items are high. Also, I have to pay $20,000 monthly for rent. Items such as garlic gone up since a pound of garlic cost $300/400 now; before the cost per pound of garlic was $100. Also, a pack of Sleepy diapers cost $1,600 now; before the cost was $1,400. The government should look into the high price of items in the market.”
Orwin Telman, a 50-year-old construction worker said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot since I can’t afford to buy food items some days and it’s just me and my wife living together. This affects me a lot when working because the salary all low. Now, a pound of plantains cost about $180; before the cost was $150. Also, the price per big bag, white rice gone up, the price is $12,000 now; before the cost was $8,000. I’m trying to cope with the high price, however, the government should do something to help persons with the cost of living.”
Cheryl Schwartz said: “Everyday something raising in the supermarket/market and it’s hard on me sometimes when buying these items. I’m a family of seven person and some members do work but still it’s hard on everyone when buying food items in the market. As for me, I would normally use my National Insurance benefits that I received every month and buy items to sell back but still, I find that the cost of living still affects me. I think the retailers/ wholesalers are exploiting us the consumer and the government should look into this. Sometimes I would walk about in the market to see if I can get the items at a cheaper cost. I can recall a couple months back when I go to the market with $5,000 I got a lot of items for my money but now, it’s totally different. I now receive three items for $5,000. For instance, a pound of onions that cost $100 a couple months back is now sold for $180 a pound. Potatoes now cost $280 a pound; before the cost per pound of potatoes was $180. As a body, the government should come together and look into ways they can help people with the cost of living.”
Owen Simmons said: “Everything gone up in the market. My family and I can’t say we are going to buy a month’s grocery because the prices for items in the market are high. When we have breakfast, we have to worry about how we are going to buy grocery for the other meal. I’m a family of five persons and I try my best to provide for my family, even if I have to continue working at a stand, I will. Items such as bleach, soap powder and main grocery items gone up now. I have a daughter studying and I would cover the expenses for the aircraft technician course she’s currently pursuing. However, the salary is low too but we can’t do anything, we just have to cope with the cost of living. I’m still waiting on my $25,000 the government shared per household, I didn’t have my National Identification card at the time but now I have it, I really would like to collect the $25,000. I think the government should increase the people’s wages in that way people will be able to afford to buy food items.”
Malcolm Sampson, a 68-year-old bar owner said: “ A lot of food items and construction materials have risen in the market. I’m in the process of buildings a shop, so I have experienced the high prices. Pensioners like myself cannot suffice the high cost because the pension itself needs to raise more in order to accommodate the high cost items are sold for in the market. I’m buying a sack of Hard Rock cement for $2,000 now; before the cost was $1,500/$1,600. Also, the cost for a big snapper is $4,000 now; before the cost was $2,500. Even the Banga Mary expensive. We have so many natural resources in Guyana and yet still items are expensive. For instance, the oil Guyana is now producing, doesn’t reflect in the daily lives of people. I know some countries except Venezuela, the citizens are enjoying the benefits that comes with the country producing oil. This have me questioning the 2% royalty Guyana received every quarterly from the revenue sold from the oil block. The government should be receiving more royalty quarterly since other oil producing countries do. I think the government should redirect avenues to offset social issues. Increase people’s salary and pensioners’ monthly stipend more. Reduce the price for gasoline and diesel. “
Lyn Dawson said: “ The cost of living is affecting me a lot because as a family of four persons, my husband and son are working but we still find it difficult when purchasing food items. I really would like to get a job. I have tried a lot but still no response from the institution I applied to. Even if I can care for the elderly I would, so I can help the household when purchasing food items. Basic items such as milk expensive. A large tin of Milex milk cost $6,000 now; before the cost was $4,000. The baby Nestum all gone up, a small tin of Nestum cost $900 now; before the cost was $600 a tin. Another thing is, my daughter is working as a medical technician and so far I’m seeing that she’s being underpaid as she performs all the functions that she studied and trained for in her line of work but only received payment for one skill, not for the other functions she performed. And, she is very qualified and have children. I tried to get a job as a nursey school teacher or daycare but was unsuccessful too. The government should create more jobs for every person and should think about implementing two daycare in every region to create jobs for persons or help mothers who can’t afford a daycare.”
