Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Central Mahaicony, 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 Shiwmanga
Frances Abel
Frances Abel, a farmer, said: “A lot of things should change because cost of living is high right now. For example, vegetables that we, the people, produce in Guyana, the cost has increased in the markets. Even an item like rice that we produce in Guyana, the cost is high. The salary that we work for can’t help to buy food items from the market since the cost for food items has increased in the markets, not even to pay the utility bill. I have a vegetable garden I usually take care of but what happen to public servants who doesn’t have a kitchen garden and they have to buy everything? For example, a pound of celery before cost about $300; now a pound of celery cost $1,500. Also, a pound of tomatoes cost $60 wholesale before; now a pound of tomatoes cost $500 wholesale. That’s only the wholesale price, what about the retail price? I don’t know how people can manage to shop at the market with the small salary we are working for. The cost for meat has increase in the market now. A pound of beef before cost $500; now a pound of beef cost $700. The government should not only invest in infrastructure but on its people more. I think the government should focus more in increasing people’s salary more; like the teachers, police, nurses, pensioners and others. I admit that the government had reduced the cost on some of the utility bill like the water bill but there are still more changes that need to be done by the government to help with the cost of living.”
Jermaine Nobraga
Jermaine Nobraga, a 49-year-old carpenter said: “My family and I try to cope with the high cost of living by budgeting, the cost for items that are expensive, we don’t buy it, we improvise by purchasing cheaper items for our money but what I can say is the cost of living is high. For example, a reasonable size of trout cost $2,000 before; now the same trout cost $4,000. Also, a pound of pork cost $500 before; now a pound of pork cost $700. I think the government should reduce the tax on all food items to help with the rising cost of living.”
Carmen Burke
Carmen Burke, a 76-year-old pastry baker said: “The cost of living is high so I bake pastry part time to help with the rising cost of living. I’m living alone and my monthly pension that I receive would assist me to pay my utility bill and buy food items. The cost of living doesn’t affect me that much because I try to cope with it. For example, a pound of plantains cost $140 before; now a pound of plantains cost $300. A big pineapple that cost $300 a couple months back; now cost $600. I try to buy a large quantity of certain items from the supermarket to last me for a while. Now $20,000 can only buy a few food items. Sugar, sweet potatoes, the cost for everything has increased in the markets. I think the government should increase the monthly pension by $10,000 more to help people my age with the cost of living. Even starter feed for the chicken I rear, has increase too. A big bag starter a couple months back cost $5,000; now the same bag cost $7,000.”
Donald Burke
Donald Burke, a pensioner said: “The cost for oil, sugar and other food items have increased in the markets. The rising cost of living is bothering us a lot because right now I’m buying a small bundle of bora for $1,000 and that can’t do because I had to buy potatoes to add to it, so I can stretch it for my family of four. Even the cost for a cut of pumpkin expensive now. The cost for chicken has risen in the market. For example, a pound of chicken last August cost $380; for a while now, a pound of chicken cost $500. A 1 litre bottle of oil that cost $400 before; now cost $1,000/$900. The bottle of oil doesn’t even last long. The home’s main source of income is my wife and I monthly pension. We tried doing a side hustle to get an extra income by selling pointer brooms but still the cost of living is high for us. Even the cost for electricity has increase a lot for me and this is hard on my family, noting the limited source of income we receive. The government should reduce the cost for food items and increase people’s pension more, like $40,000 more. $5,000 now can’t do to buy a lot of food items since the cost for all food items have increased in the markets.”
Stacy Richmond
Stacy Richmond, a 33-year-old single mother said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot, yes because educational wise, the cost for school items my children need, is expensive now. Apart from that, the cost for food items has increased in the market. The items I could have bought for $20,000 before, now I have to double the money to purchase food items. This has affected me because I can’t save,
I have to spend more money for food items. For instance, A normal packet of ketchup for the home before cost about $300 and something; now the same packet of ketchup cost $400/$500 and something. And, a 100-pounds bag of sugar that cost $8,000 before; now cost $15,000. The government should provide more assistance to the people to help with the rising cost of living because the $25,000 per household didn’t last long.”
Kahanince Girgawattie
Kahanince Girgawattie said: “The cost of living is affecting me because my earnings sometimes can only do to buy food items for my home consumption. It can’t do to turn over sales. I run a food snackette. Sometimes I would make a profit but sometimes I don’t because most of my edibles I sell would leave back; I eventually share it out to people. For example, a bag of garlic cost $4,000 a couple months ago; now the same bag of garlic cost $7,500. Then, a 90-pound bag of rice a couple month back cost $7,500 and something; now the same bag of rice cost $8,500 and something. The cost attached to the electricity bill has increased. The government should reduce the cost for electricity and food items since the people don’t have money to buy food items.”
Nalinie Persaud
Nalinie Persaud, a 37-year-old clothing vendor said: “The cost of living is high because when I went to the supermarket with $5,000 to buy food items, I have noticed that I can’t buy anything much now, I can only purchase couple items. For example, a 5-gallon bottle of oil a couple months ago cost $8,300/ $8,200; now the same bottle of oil cost $9,500. The big Thunderbolt flour a couple month ago cost $460; now the same pack of flour cost about $600 and something. My husband and I work and we try to buy food items in bulk to cope with the cost of living. I’m a family of three including my child. The government should consider reducing the cost for food items so people can afford to purchase food items.”
Shondelle Matthews
Shondelle Matthews said: “My husband and I work but still the cost of living affects us. I’m a family of Seven including five kids. I work as a food vendor while my husband is a taxi driver. What I can say is that, not always the road is smooth for my husband because some days he doesn’t make money to provide for his family while some days, he does. Items are very costly now. Even items like a social studies text book for my child is expensive. A level 1 social studies textbook for my son a few months ago cost about $3,000; now the same social studies textbook level 2 cost $4,000. Also, a pound of chicken a couple months ago cost $300 and something; now a pound of chicken cost $500/$600. The government should look into why the wholesalers and retailers are increasing the prices for food items as soon as people’s salary has increased.”
Sarah Halley said: “The cost of living is high and it affects my family of five including my three children. I try to cope with it by budgeting because when I purchase food items from the markets, most of the cost for the items has increased in the market. For example, a box of cornflakes cereal a couple months ago cost about $500 and something; now a box of cornflakes cereal cost $1,000. Also, a pound of butter a few months ago cost $500 and something; now the same butter cost $640. I’m thankful for the school vouchers the government had provided me with, but I think the government should provide a monthly allowance for every family to help with the cost of living. “
Savitri Hemnauth
Savitri Hemnauth, a 30-year-old NDC Overseer said: “To a point the cost of living is bad since I have two kids and I have to provide meals for them every day.
The cost for the items alone is expensive, for example, a package of frozen fries, a few months ago cost $1,200; now the same package of fries cost $1,500/ $1,800 depending on the shop you buy it from. Also, the cost for a Lactogen formula was $2,800/$2,900 before; now, the same formula cost about $3,200/$3000/ $3,700 at some shops.
I think the government should provide cash grant to every member of the family and increase public servants’ salary more to help with the rising cost of living.”
