Stabroek News spoke to members of the public at Craig, East Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Theresa Persaud
Theresa Persaud said: “The cost for all items just going up everyday in the markets and the wages are not going up. The cost for food items, hardware items and other items have gone up in the market. My husband work and I sell in the shop. I’m a family of three and the cost of living is hard on us. I still have to purchase food items despite the high cost because I need it. People in the markets just exploiting you with the prices. I just have to cope with it. For instance, a tray of eggs that cost $1,200 a few months ago; now cost almost $1,800. A cut of pumpkin before cost $200; now a cut of pumpkin cost $300. Even the cost for eddoes has increased in the markets. A pound of eddo a couple months back cost $100; now a pound of eddo cost $140. The government should consider increasing people’s salary more so they can afford to buy items from the markets.”
Patricia Mangal
Patricia Mangal, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is hard on me. I’m a family of three and both my daughter and son work but the money we contribute to the home is not enough to buy food items and pay the utility bill. My daughter is trying to build a home at Mocha for us because soon we will have to move from here. I can’t pressure her too much financially. My son and I would try to assist in every way we can to buy food items and pay the utility bill with the help of my daughter sometimes. The cost of living is really hard on us because sometimes my monthly pension is not enough to sustain us because all items has increased in the market. Even the transportation cost has increased. For example, a couple months back a pound of chicken cost $400 and something; now a pound of chicken cost $500. A small bag of Karibee rice that cost $1,500 a few months ago; now cost $2,200. Even the cost for a 1-litre bottle of cooking oil increased in the market. The government is trying. I have received my $25,000 bonus in addition to my pension. The cost of living is indeed high but we just have to cope with it. There is so much the government can do.”
Sandy Persaud
Sandy Persaud said: “The cost of living is very hard on me when I’m purchasing grocery items. The cost for all food items has increased in the market. $10,000 now can’t give me all the food items I need; before it could have given me more food items for my money. For example, a couple months back, a 3-litre bottle of cooking oil cost $2,000/$1,000; now the same bottle of cooking oil cost $3,000. A medium pack of Breeze soap powder a few months ago cost $900/$1,000 and something; now the same soap powder cost $3,000 a pack. The cost for the other brand of soap powder has increased in the market as well. The government should consider reducing the cost for food items. I live with my husband and would visit my mother’s home in Craig and for a while; my brother can’t work because of his disability. His hip needs to be replaced. Doctors said he’s too young to do the surgery. I have a niece who is disabled too but I would really like to get help for him. I would really like if the government can provide some financial help for him especially. His contact number is 266-3044.”
Clement Paul
Clement Paul, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is indeed high in the markets, especially the supermarkets. I’m a family of six including my son, my daughter-in-law and their two children. We all contribute to the home to purchase grocery items. We try to cope with the cost of living despite the different prices the supermarkets sell their groceries at. For instance, a few months ago three cucumbers cost $100; Now 1 cucumber cost $100. Also, a small cylinder of cooking gas cost $4,000 a few months ago; now same bottle of cooking gas cost $4,700. I don’t see any control prices on imported grocery items because the importation fee continues to increase on grocery items that are imported in Guyana. Also, there is no control prices on raw material farmers purchase to use on their farm, hence the high cost. I believe those Chinese supermarket don’t pay tax because they don’t provide customers with a bill. The government should place control price on food items to help with the rising cost of living.”
Leonard Grant
Leonard Grant, a 65-year-old part-time construction worker said: “The cost for food items in both the supermarkets and markets have increased every day. I could recall before when I received my salary, I could have purchased enough grocery items for my family at the supermarkets and markets. Now, my salary can’t do to buy grocery items for the home. I’m a family of six including my four children. My wife sells at the market on the weekends and does part-time hairdressing to help provide for the family. Now the cost for all food items has increased in the markets. For example, a tray of eggs that cost $800 a few months ago; now cost $1,800. A pound of banana (Cayenne and sweet fig banana) a few months ago cost $260; now the same pound of banana cost $800. Even the cost for bora has increased in the market. The government should consider providing vouchers every other month to people in order to help with the cost of living. Even the electricity bill comes high every month. I don’t burn much electricity so I don’t understand that.”
Cavita Williams
Cavita Williams, a 23-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living has increased in the market and this is hard on me because when I think the cost for food items has reduced in the market, the cost is going up instead. My husband is the sole breadwinner for my family of four including my two children. When my husband receives his salary, I try to buy a lot of groceries for my family to last for the month but the groceries run out within the month and I will have to purchase groceries again, sometimes I can’t afford to buy the items because of the high cost. For example, a small bag of Karibee brown rice a couple months back cost $1,500; now the same bag of rice cost $1,800. A couple months back a pound of sugar cost $100/$200; now I opted in purchasing a 20 pounds bag of sugar which cost $3,000/$2,000 at some place for my family. Even a bottle of cooking oil is costly now. The government should reduce the cost food items are sold for because not everyone can afford to purchase food items.”
Anita Williams
Anita Williams, a 26-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is hard on me because I’m not working at the moment since I’m taking care of my baby. My husband is the sole breadwinner to my family of six. I have four kids. The cost for pampers right now has increased. Even the cost for food items has increased. I used to work but can’t because the daycare fee is costly so I decided to stay home to take care of my baby instead. I only sent one child to the annual Christmas party at school this year because the cost for clothes, footwear and other food items has increased in the market. For instance, a 3-litre bottle of oil that cost $1,960 a few months ago; now cost $2,700. A 22 pounds bag of sugar that cost $2,200 before; now cost $3,000. I think the shop owners and middle men like wholesalers and retailers should reduce the cost they are selling food items for in the markets because poor people cannot afford to purchase food items at the high cost, it is right now.”
Janella Gordon
Janella Gordon, a 20-year-old single mother said: “The cost for all items in Craig has increased now. This is really hard on me because I’m a single mom of one child. My little brother, sister and mom work in the home. I’m a family of seven. Whatever food items are in the home, I make do with it. The cost for all food items has increased, for example, a small bag of Karibee rice a couple months back cost $1,800; now the same bag of rice cost $2,200. A 1-litre bottle of oil that cost $400 and something a couple months back; now cost $700. The government should reach out to the single mother and try to help them.”
Odessa Gordon
Odessa Gordon said: “The cost of living is very hard on me because the cost for all food items has increased in the markets. I’m a family of nine. My husband is the sole breadwinner for my family. Whatever work he gets, he takes to provide for his family. Sometimes I could afford to buy certain food items while sometimes I can’t. for example, a pound of cabbage a couple months ago cost $260; now a pound of cabbage cost $500. A cut of pumpkin that cost $200 couple months back; now cost $900. Only when the vegetables are sold at a cheaper cost, I will buy…The government is doing good but the government should try to reduce the cost for certain food items.”
Niketa Gordon
Niketa Gordon, a 25-year-old cashier said: “Everytime I go to the market, the cost for food items has increased.
This is harder compare to before when food items were sold at a cheaper cost. For example, a 1-litre bottle of oil that cost $600 a couple months back; now cost $900 and something.
A pound of plantains that cost $120 a couple months back: now cost $260. The government should increase people’s salary or provide some sort of house loan for each household to help with the rising cost of living.”
