Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, Region about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Liloutie Ramlochan
Liloutie Ramlochan, a 48-year-old housewife said: “When I receive money from both my son and husband, I would put aside some money to pay the bills when the month come. Besides that, our housewives are suffering because when we finish buying groceries and pay the utility bills, we can’t get nothing for ourselves. My son, who is one of the providers for the home, is not working because of a recent accident at his workplace. My daughter used to work but for a while she hasn’t been working, she’s assisting me with taking care of my son now. The cost for all food items has increase in the market; everything gone up. My family of four is trying to cope with the cost of living, not everything we will get to buy that we need. Plenty things I have to cut down on that I need; you can’t buy everything because the prices for the food items sold in the shops are costly. The prices for grocery items gone up more than the fish and so. For example, a pound of garlic cost about $100 and something/ $200 before; now a pound of garlic cost $500. On the road, a couple months back I could have gotten 20/15 strands of bora in a parcel for $100; now I’m buying a parcel of bora that consist of 6/7 which cost $600 now to feed my family. Even the cost for tennis rolls gone up. People are giving you a small cut of pumpkin for $300 now; before I could have gotten a bigger cut for $200. The government should look into the high cost of living.”
Anil Persaud
Anil Persaud, a 27-year-old farmer said: “The cost of living does not really affect my family and I; we are coping with the high prices. I think once you can work everything alright. I’m coping with it. Some people can’t afford to buy certain things because they are sickly and so. Once you have health and strength you can make it in this country. You can’t be lazy. I’m a crop farmer. I would sell lettuce, poi leaves, pak-choi and celery to staff. Well, right now in the market, the prices for certain greens are a little high; one and two items like celery are a little scarce on the market right now and the cost is up. Not everyone can afford to buy celery. The market is slow right now, other than that everything else is alright. For example, around last year February-March a pound of celery cost $500 wholesale; after March going forward, the cost for a pound of celery has increase to $2,000 wholesale and presently a pound of celery cost $1,500 wholesale. Even though the cost for celery has reduced a little, the price is still high compare to how a pound of celery cost before wholesale. What I can say is that the cost of living has gone up because when I normally buy a bundle of bora for $200 and cook in the mornings for my family of four; now I’m buying a bundle of bora for $500 to do for my family because the quantity of bora within the parcel is lesser than before. Even the cost for a large tin of Nestum for the kids gone up. A large tin of Nestum cost $1,560 before; now the same tin cost $1,940. Well, the prices for boulanger and pumpkin have gone down in the market. I think it’s the shop people who are increasing their cost for items because it’s cheaper to purchase a bag of pampers from a Sleepy truck versus purchasing it from a shop; the shop markup is higher, especially when the items are scarce in the market. The government should put systems in place to check how the shopkeepers are selling their items.”
Jankie Rupnarain
Jankie Rupnarain, a pensioner said: “My monthly pension is not enough to buy food items and other things I need because the prices for food items have increase in the markets. When I run out of cash, I have to wait until the next month to buy things I want. I’m trying to cope with the high prices. The cost for things like cooking oil gone up. A 3-litre bottle cooking oil a couple months ago cost $4,000/$4,500; now the oil cost $5,000. A 10 kg bag Karibee rice before cost $1,500; now the same bag of rice cost $3,000. The government should increase people’s pension more to help old people with the rising cost of living.”
Parmanand Harrichan
Parmanand Harrichan, a 67-year-old welder said: “The prices for a lot of items have increase in the market. I have two kids and if I don’t work for the week I can’t buy grocery for the home. So, if I’m absent a day or so from work, things would be hard on me because the items are expensive. I’m living with my extended family and I only provide for my wife and kids. Items like Nestum for the baby is now expensive. I can’t buy that now, I had to purchase plantain flour instead, which is affordable for me. A large tin Nestum before cost $4,000; now the same tin cost $6,500. Well, a 20 lb cylinder cooking gas before cost $3,000; now the gas cost $4,800. I think instead of the government sharing money to each household, the government should instead lower the cost of living; keep the cost for food items low at all times so we, the people, will not have to spend more than we work for on food items.”
Ramesh Ramdeo
Ramesh Ramdeo said: “The cost for certain vegetables have reduced in the market while the prices for some are still expensive. The ones that are high my family and I would stop purchasing. I’m a family of five and my brother, father and I work but still with the combined income, we still find it hard to purchase certain food items. For example, a 1½ pint Wesson oil before cost $1,600; now the oil cost $2,000. A couple months ago I could have purchase six strands of bora in a parcel for $100; now I’m buying 15 of strands bora in a parcel for $100. A couple months ago a big cut of pumpkin cost $200; now a small cut of pumpkin cost $300. The government should work on reducing the cost for food items to help with the cost of living.”
Balgobin Seebobin
Balgobin Seebobin, a 64-year-old labourer said: “Right now I’m going to the rice field with no food, just to get money to buy groceries for the home. The cost of living is high since the prices for food items have increase in the market. Things like a 10 kg bag Karibee rice before cost $2,300; now the rice cost $3,300. A pint of Kero a couple months ago cost $100; now a pint of kero cost $200. To me, we can’t survive. Everything gone up in the market and my family and I can’t afford to buy certain items because the salary alone that I work for, is not enough to support my family. I have to work four days to live one day. The government should not only build roads, hospital, school and build this and that, instead the government should look into the rice farmers more because the paddy price needs to increase more, fuel and fertilizers prices need to reduce more as well.”
Anil Sundiall
Anil Sundiall, a 38-year-old labourer said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I a lot because when I work for $5,000, it feels like I’m working for $500. The cost for the items in the market is high and my pay is small. Items like the prices for fish and chicken have increase in the market. Before I could have purchase three bangamary fish for $500; now I’m purchasing 3 bangamary fish for $1,000. A pound of chicken a couple months back cost $240; Now a pound of chicken cost $580. The government should do something about the rising cost of living.”
Bibi Ali
Bibi Ali, a 62-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is hard on me because the money I receive from my brother and a family member can’t do to buy all food items for the home. I’m a family of five and we try to budget by paying the utility bills first then whatever money is left, we buy groceries with that. Mostly, the prices for grocery items have increase in the market. For instance, a normal size cylinder cooking gas a couple months back cost $3,000 and something; now the gas cost $5,000. Before a piece of snapper cost $500; now a piece of snapper cost $1,000. I’m glad if the government can assist us in anyway they can with the cost of living.”
Parbatie Roopnarain
Parbatie Roopnarain, a 40 year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because before I could have purchase more items for my money from the shop compare to now. The prices for everything at the shop have increase, especially items that are scarce on the market. A tin of tomato paste use to carry a price at the shop because it was scarce, the cost is still high even though the tomato paste is not scarce. A couple months back a tube of tomato paste cost $180/$200; now that same tube cost $300. Also, a 2 kg pack of Demerara Gold sugar before cost $400 and something; now the pack of sugar cost $740. I’m a family of five including my two children and husband. My husband alone is working to provide for us. He plants garden at the water side but people are destroying the crops. Right now, we have some pepper plants that are surviving. My husband and I visited several government areas and raise our concern about the matter, until now nobody hasn’t given any help. Everything left just like that and it’s not only us are experiencing this, other farmers too, and until now nothing hasn’t been done about it. My husband is working in the backdam to bring in income in the home because we can’t plant much because of the situation. I had raised concerns with the government bureau about the situation stating that when backdam work is not there how will I get money to send my children to school but until now I haven’t received any help. The government should look into this. Sometimes the kids want something and we can’t afford it, we have to cut down on items because we still have bills to pay. The government should look into the matter and also assist people with the cost of living.”
Narine Doobay
Narine Doobay, a 49-year-old labourer said: “The prices for food items have gone up in the market. I’m a family of four and my two sons and I are the only ones working in the home. Although we are working, we are feeling the high cost of living. I’m feeling the high cost more on the utility bills, especially the water bill. I understand the government is standing a percentage of the cost for water but still, I find myself paying $4,000 more on my bill every month. Also, I receive poor quality of water. I still have to buy drinking water when the month comes. The government should work on the quality and cost of water. Let’s say the prices for greens and grocery items are high worldwide. Things like the cost for water and electricity should not be so high. The cost for food items is high, for example, a couple months ago the cost for a 20 lb cylinder cooking gas was $4,500; now the gas cost $4,800. A pound of celery before cost $300/$500; now a pound of celery cost $3,000. I think if the government should try to control US dollars in that way the government will control the cost for food items.”
