Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the areas of Success and Chateau Margot on the East Coast Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Loomash Ramgolan
Loomash Ramgolan, a 52-year-old truck driver said: “My two daughters are working to help me provide for the home because not every day I can work, I suffer from kidney failure. The government gave me $600,000 towards my dialysis but that wasn’t enough since the money only last for six months. Every week I have to do a dialysis. My wife stays at home and take care of me and sometimes I would drive to make some money for the home. Every time my family goes to the market, some items are always rising. The greens, for example, have risen in the market. When the cost of greens rise one week, we won’t buy anything until, maybe, the next week when the price per item reduces. Everything has gone up in the market. For example, a pound of chicken that cost $300 a few months ago; now cost $600. The cost per tray of eggs now gone up. A few months ago, a tray of eggs cost $1,200; every time my family and I go to the market, we are paying $1,500/ $1,700 per tray of eggs. The price just going up. Fish all expensive now. I think the government should reduce the prices for the duties on imported food items.”
Meena Laljie
Meena Laljie, a pensioner said: “My husband and I are coping with the cost of living, even though it is hard on us. We both are pensioners. The cost for items in the market are very costly now. I have to buy basic items that I need, I can’t go beyond my budget. For example, a few months ago, a tray of eggs cost $1,500; now a tray of eggs cost $1,900. The cost for all vegetables gone up in the market. The cost for a pound of tomatoes a couple months back was $400/$600; now the cost for a pound of tomatoes cost $1,200. I think the government should continue to support pensioners by increasing pensioners’ monthly stipend.”
Zurina Williams
Zurina Williams said: “Items are costly now in the market. My husband makes egg balls and pholourie. He usually sells on the road. We moved into another apartment recently and opened a shop so that we can sell some grocery items. For the past few months now, things have become hard on us, not because of the shop but the cost spent on my son. He has a problem with his kidneys and this has become hard on us as a family. I also have two other daughters to provide for and every time my son gets admitted to the hospital, both my husband and I have to close our business.
The little money we have, we have to use it to buy food items. So, this is hard on us and then items in the market are costly. For instance, when we have to buy a tray of eggs to sell back, the vendors are selling the eggs at a high cost and when you explain to them that you’re buying to sell back, they pay no mind. I’m selling my eggs loose because of the high price I buy them for. I’m selling $80 per egg.
The beginning of this year, a tray of eggs cost $1,200/$1,300. Now, a tray of small eggs cost $1,600 at some place and $2,000 for a tray of large eggs. All vegetables have become costly too. A pound of celery a few months ago cost $1,000; before a pound of celery cost $6,000. I’m trying to cope with the situation but people like single parents and domestic workers will have a hard time coping with the cost of living. The government should consider these situations and try to help us with the cost of living because the money we are working for is not enough to support us.”
Angad Seeram
Angad Seeram, a pensioner said: “Well everyone is aware that the cost of living is affecting the country. I’m trying to cope with the cost of living by the grace of God. The cost is high for all items that are sold in the market. My wife and I would usually cut down on our spending when the cost is high. Both my wife and I are pensioners. A couple months ago, a 20-pound cylinder cooking gas cost $5,000; now the cooking gas cost $5,040. Even taxi fare to travel from Success to Georgetown rise up. A few months ago, the taxi fare cost $1,100; now the fare cost $1,300. I think the government should consider reducing the cost for all food items.”
Hansraj Bire
Hansraj Bire said: “The cost for Items have gone up in the market but people’s salary is not increasing. I’m living alone and I hardly buy food items from the market but what I can say is that all items are costly in the market. The monthly pension I’m receiving is not enough to cover the cost for food items. For example, a few months ago, I could have gotten a good parcel of bora for $200; now I’m paying $200 for a smaller parcel of bora. A 250 ml box of Nestle Proud Land full cream milk a few months ago cost $500; now the same Proud Land milk cost $600/$620. The government should help to reduce food items.”
Campta Sukhdeo
Campta Sukhdeo, a pensioner said: “The monthly pension my wife and I receive is not enough to pay our bills and at the same time buy food items. The cost of living is affecting us a lot because when both of us go to the market with $10,000 this week, next week we have to increase the grocery money. The cost for the items in the market have risen. We sell grocery items at the Plaisance market and still the money can’t do to cover our daily expenses. All food items gone up. For example, a piece of pumpkin a few months ago cost $100 and that was enough for my wife and
I but now I’m buying a smaller piece of pumpkin for $500. A pack of carrots a few months ago cost $250; now a pack of carrots cost $500. Even the cost for potatoes and red beans gone up…Our country is producing oil now so I can’t understand why the cost for food items are so high in the market. I would like the government to do something about this high cost of living.”
Raul Jaijoo
Raul Jaijoo said: “The cost of living is high, yes but nevertheless my family and I are trying to cope with it. Every week something rising in the market. Everyone in my family would contribute money toward food items but sometimes, we would find it hard to buy food items because of the fluctuation of the cost. For example, a piece of pumpkin before cost $200/$300; now a small piece of pumpkin cost $600/$700. A 5-gallon bottle of oil cost $8,000/$9,000 last month; now the same bottle of oil cost $11,000/ $10,500. The government should raise all public and private sectors’ salary in order to help the people with the high cost of living.”
Nazir Mohamed
Nazir Mohamed said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because the money is not enough to purchase food items. I would have to reduce the amount of money spend on groceries items just to cope with the cost of living. When I used to spend $20,000 in grocery items for the home, I’m now spending $15,000 for grocery items. You can’t go to the stores and buy items like I do before.
I have to rely on assistance from relative who resides overseas. I can’t give up; I just have to cope with the cost of living. Vegetables, meat – the cost for all items gone up in the market but the people’s salary is not increasing. For example, last year a pound of chicken cost $300/$350; now a pound of chicken cost $600.
When I used to purchase a parcel of 50 bora for $200 a few months ago; I’m now purchasing a parcel of 5 bora for $500. I’m a family of five. My son is the only person working in the home. I think the government should increase our monthly pension and raise people’s salary. People are living on debts now; the government should reduce the cost of all food items.”
Kenny Kennedy
Kenny Kennedy, a 28-year-old mason said: I’m a family of five and I’m the only person working in the home to take care of my two kids plus my wife. In addition, I have utility bills and rent to pay. This is hard on me since all items have gone up… sometimes my family visit me and employ me to work part-time so I can earn some money but still I don’t make enough money to provide for my family.
I think the government need to have more discussions with the rice farmers and other cash crop farmers so some progress can be made in terms of the reduction of food items. In that way, the citizen will not feel the high cost when shopping at the markets.
For example, four boulanger a few months ago cost $400; now 1 boulanger cost $300. Also, a tray of eggs a couple months back cost $1,300; now a tray of eggs cost $1,900. The government should do something about the high cost of living.”
Soyara Basraj
Soyara Basraj, a 32-year-old businesswoman said: “The cost of living is high right now and it is affecting me a lot since the cost for everything has gone up in the market, even gasoline to full my car tank every day when taking the kids to school, is costly. Every day I would add $5,000 worth of gasoline in my car because of the constant drops I have to do when taking my kids to their destinations every day to school and lessons then back home. Also, I used to go to the market with $10,000 to purchase grocery items; now I have to go with $15,000/$20,000 just to purchase fish and vegetables.
That doesn’t include the cost for chicken. Everyone in my family is self-employed and still the cost of living affects us. I sell eggs and sew for a living. Everything gone up in the market, for example, a tray of eggs a few months ago cost $1,000; now a tray of eggs cost $1,800. A pound of celery before cost $700 a pound; now a pound of celery cost $5,000. Right now, the cost for eschalot, boulanger and tomatoes rise up in the market. I guess it’s the climate conditions. I think the government should do something about the high cost for food items because the little local produces that are left in the country, the vendors are now selling them at a high cost.”
