Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal and Bebi Oosman
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the areas of Lesbeholden, Mibicuri, Johanna and Yakusari in Black Bush Polder about the cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Chayvindra Harrchand
Chayvindra Harrchand, a 33-year-old farmer: `As a single parent I would have to support my two children and the cost of living is affecting me and family since the salary is low. I find that before I would have gotten more items for my money than now. I do plant crops to make my ends meet but still the money is not enough to support my family. Simple items like Coca cola is expensive, a 1 litre Coca Cola cost $320 now; before the cost was $300. Even the cost for cooking oil gone up. A 1 gallon bottle of oil cost $3000 and something now; before the cost was $2000. We really need help with the cost of living. Another thing is, when the government is distributing items to farmer to aid in agriculture, the government of Guyana should make sure all farmers receive items whether it’s help with livestock, crops, tools… and not just to distribute items to certain farmers since we have farmers who are happy for the help.’
John Tenessee
John Tenessee, a 63-year-old security guard: `A lot of items raise in the supermarket, especially oil, milk, pumpkin – even building material gone up. My family that consist of five persons is trying with the high price on food items. For instance, a small pack of Fernleaf milk now cost $800. Now, I’m putting more money to buy groceries than before. A small piece of pumpkin cost $500 now; recently a small piece of pumpkin cost $300/$400. The government is helping us with the water and electricity bill, yes but it looks like the utility bill is still expensive because the figure of my electricity bill raise this month, poor people really feeling the cost. I would like if the government can help the poor people out with the cost of living since poor people are suffering right now with the high cost of items in the market.’
Pearly Peter
Pearly Peter: `Right now my son and I are living together and he runs the shop for me while I hustle to sell food at the side. The items that I have to buy to keep my business going is expensive and sometimes I can’t afford it. For instance, I’m now buying a $1000 for a big bundle of bora and the quality is bad; before that same bundle of bora was $400/$500 with good quality. Also, a pound of celery is $2,500/$3000 now; a couple months back a pound of celery was $1000. I would like to benefit from the 10-day programme the Government is offering to persons interested in the part-time job to help with the cost of living. Despite of me being 60-years-old, I think the government should open the programme to me as well because the cost of living is high on basic food items and this programme can really help me with the high prices.’
Neville Prass
Neville Prass, a 64-year-old cash farmer: `Everything gone up in the market and this is affecting me a lot when purchasing groceries from the market. Right now, I’m paying $300 for a pound of onions; a couple months back a pound of onions was $120. Even sugar gone up in the market now and Guyana is producing sugar right here. A pound of sugar now cost $220; before a pound of sugar was $100. The cost for rice expensive, too. I think the government should consider dropping back the cost items are sold for in the market to assist people with the cost of living. Another thing is, a few days back when the government was sharing out the business grants to help persons with their business, the grant was distributed to certain people, not everyone who really needed the business grant received it. It appeared like only selected persons received it. The government should do something about this.’
Pooran Ramnauth
Pooran Ramnauth, a 35-year-old farmer: `Everything gone up in the market and it’s affecting everyone when purchasing food items in the market. Most of my family is overseas and without their help in purchasing food items from the market, I would not be able afford to buy food items now. I plant all sorts of crops and for my last crop, I saw that the price of fertilizer gone down a little, a bag of Urea fertilizer cost $6000 now; a couple months back the cost was $9000. Well, the cost of a bottle of pesticide for the plant is still expensive, a bottle of pesticide now is $9000; before the cost was $5000. I think the government should try their best to help people with the cost of living because the cost for food items particularly, is expensive.’
Yambika Ayana
Yambika Ayana: `I normally would collect money from my husband’s NIS every month but still that can’t do to purchase basic food items for myself because everything gone up in the market. As a result of that, I would prepare and sell food for the week in order to maintain myself since everything gone up in the market. Simple items like chicken gone up. A pound of chicken now cost $600 and something; a few months ago a pound of chicken was $240. Also, a pound of celery now cost $2,500 a pound; before a pound of celery was sold at a cheaper price. I think the government should work towards lowering the cost for food items.’
Puleshar Motilall
Puleshar Motilall, a 50-year-old farmer said: `The cost of living is hard on me when purchasing groceries for my home. Recently I went to the market with $30,000 to buy groceries for the home and i received a smaller quantity for my money. A couple years back, I would have gotten more items for $30,000. Everything gone up in the market including bora, ochro, squash… right now I’m paying $1000 for a big bundle of bora; before the cost was cheaper. Sometimes the cost for vegetables in the market go down for two days and then the price goes back up. I think the government should Increase people’s salary to accommodate the high price of food items that are sold at in the market.’
Lall Bachan
Lall Bachan: `The money that I’m working for now can’t support my family since food items are expensive in the market and I’m not getting to save anything. The money finishes quickly. Even the cost for transportation from Lesbeholden to the head of Black Bush Polder raised to $300; before the fare was a $100. You can’t blame the taxi driver for raising their fare because the road is really bad in here. The government claimed so much of money is being spent for the development of the roads and look how the roads in Black Bush Polder are. I think the government should look into the development of the roads here in Black Bush Polder. Another thing is, to maintain my car is expensive since the price for a pair of brake pads now cost 3,500; before the cost was $2,500. Even my monthly groceries I would buy at the supermarket expensive now, when I used to go to the supermarket with $20,000, now I going to the supermarket with $50,000/$60,000 to buy groceries for the home. Look at the cost for a 5 gallon bottle of cooking oil. I’m now paying $10,000 and something for a 5 gallon bottle oil; before the cost was $7000. Everything gone up in the market, even onion, garlic expensive. The government should help the people with the cost of living.’
Randy Mattadi
Randy Mattadi, a 29 year-old farmer and taxi driver: `When I travelled to Georgetown, imagine fast food have tax on it and the items that you purchase from the market is expensive too. Another thing is, in Black Bush Polder the roads are really bad and as a taxi driver when my car drop in a pothole, it would damage easily and I would have to repair it, considering the cost for tires are expensive. Also, a few months ago, I used to buy a transmission when it damaged for $35,000/$40,000; now the cost for a transmission for my car is about $100,000. Even a shock (absorber) for my car cost $30,000 and something now; before the cost was $7000/ $8000. If you look at the people’s salary, you can see that it remains the same and the people in Black Bush Polder don’t want to pay more money for services or items. For instance, before I used to pay a labourer $5000 to spray a plot of rice land; now we have to pay the workman by blower and each blower or tank of pesticide cost $500. Imagine how much expenses, we as farmers, will have to incur when more blowers are used. I don’t even know if the cost of rice will raise higher in Guyana since I heard the price had already risen in the world market. We need more government official to come in Black Bush Polder to actually see what is affecting the community and try to assist the people.’
Adesh Andrew
Adesh Andrew, a labourer, 35: `I live with my parents and as a single parent, the cost of living is hard on me when providing for my children. I would have to pay $20,000 monthly in child support and the salary I’m working for can’t even help to cover grocery price for my family. Persons in the home usually help to purchase items for the home but still my salary is too low to compete with the cost items are sold at in the market. I would really like if the government can help me in any way with the cost of living.’
