Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Eastville Housing Co-op Society, 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
Marva Abel
Marva Abel, a 58-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is very high and it is putting a lot of pressure on us, my family, when getting food to eat and when buying school items for the children. Well, I am trying to cope with the cost of living with the little money I have. I’m a family of seven, including my children and grandchildren. My husband is the sole breadwinner for the home. For example, a two-pound package of Thunderbolt flour before cost $340; now the flour cost $440. I saw that the price for a bottle oil has reduced in the market. The cost for a 20-lbs cylinder cooking gas a few months ago was $3,800; now the same cylinder gas cost $4,900. The government should look into the prices in the market, so that the market can have a stable price for food items.”
Savitree Persaud
Savitree Persaud, a 63-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is hard on my family. I’m a family of 12 and I’m not working. My husband and one of my sons take care of four of us including me and the other son who is disabled, while the other family members provide for their family. I realized that my husband’s pension and son’s salary combined is not enough to support us. When I’m finished paying the utility bills and what left back that is what I buy groceries with. Sometimes I can’t afford to purchase certain food items, I’ll have to make do with what I have. The cost for some vegetables have reduce in the markets while some prices are still high. The prices for rice and milk have increased in the market. For example, a 10-kg bag of Karibee rice a couple months back cost $ 1,900; now the same bag of rice cost $2,100. Also, a small packet Fernleaf milk before cost about $700; now the milk cost about $800 and something. The government should raise all pensioners’ salary more to help with the rising cost of living.”
Angeline Marks
Angeline Marks said: “Right now, the cost of living is kinda high for my family and I because the prices for food items have risen in the markets. The cost for items like the Natura milk has increase in the market and it is hard on me, especially when you have little children around. For example, the cost for a small pack Natura milk used to be about $420; now the milk cost about $620. I’m a family of three. I’m working and providing for my nephew and son that live with me. Not everyone could afford certain things; we try to manage. Honestly, I think the prices for food items on the ECD is higher versus when you purchase the items from Bourda market in Georgetown. Well, the cost for meat was cheaper compared to now. A couple months ago, a pound of beef cost $500; now a pound of beef cost $800. I can’t say what could be done to cushion this cost of living because a lot of people depends on the weather, and the weather is really hot right now. So, sometimes you have to give and take with it; just have to cope with the cost of living. My brother does farming and right now his farm is not doing well because of the weather condition.”
Ann Belle
Ann Belle said: “Well, I’m a widow and I’m not really working but I receive survival benefit every month to cope with the rising cost of living. Also, I do a side hustle to bring in an extra income in the home. My daughter and husband who are working help provide for the home too; they are living with me since my husband died. Still, the cost of living is affecting us. It is tough on us but we are trying to survive. When I can’t afford to purchase certain food item, I would cut down on my spending. The side business I do, where I sell drinking water in the afternoon, the business is slow right now. One day, I might sell about six bottles of drinking water and the next day, I sell none. The prices for some vegetables have reduce in the market while the cost for some is still expensive. Also, the cost for other grocery items have increased in the market. The cost for pumpkin has reduce, while the cost for bora is still high. A couple months ago, I bought more bora for $200; now I’m buying less bora for $200. I think the government should pay more emphasis towards the benefits that both the single parents and widow receive. Also, I believe the government can do more for the teachers. It will be better if the government raise survival benefits more because by the time I pay the water and electricity bills, the money finish.”
James Greene
James Greene, a pensioner said: “I live alone at the moment and find that things are very expensive. I try to cope with the cost of living because I will fall down if I don’t. The monthly pension I receive is not enough to buy things I need. For example, recently I bought a bottle of multivitamins for $4,000; before the multivitamins cost about $2,000 and something, the cost was cheaper. Also, certain food items – like the prices for a bag of rice, provision, a piece of fish – have gone up in the market. A couple months ago, I used to buy a piece of trout for $1,000; now a piece of trout cost $1,500. I would suggest for the government to place price control on food items but the government would not want to do that. What I can suggest is for the government to continue to pay more emphasis in agriculture, especially the youths who are interested in agriculture. The government should continue to teach them to plant different types of organic crops so locals here can buy it. This will keep most youths off the road. At the farmers’ market I had highlighted this to officials.”
Patricia Matthews
Patricia Matthews, a pensioner said: “The cost for meat is expensive now. Two months now my husband did surgery and buying items for us isn’t easy. He has to use more soup now, so we have to use more fish and the cost for fish has increased. Both of us are pensioners and our monthly pension is not enough to support us. Our relatives are currently helping us with items we need. My husband has to use more fruits also and the price has become more costly now. A day we bought a pawpaw, it looks ripe outside but the inside wasn’t good. Is everything gone up in the market. If you don’t have $200/$300 you can’t buy celery. I used to buy a small parcel of celery for $100 before; now I purchasing the same parcel of celery for $200/$300. Before I used to buy 9/10 oranges for $500; now I’m buying the same parcel of oranges for $1000. Before I use to go to the market and buy cow heel for $500, the man never uses to weigh but now he does; a pound of cow heel cost $800. Now, I find the bones and the meat prices are the same. Even the cost for chicken has increased. A couple months back, a small chicken cost $1,800; now the same chicken cost $2,800. I have a kitchen garden and whatever I reap from the garden that’s what I’m eating because I can’t afford to buy vegetables from the markets. I think the government should raise pensioners’ money more and at the same time, put measures in place so wholesalers and retailers don’t raise their prices for items higher when the increase is given.”
Richard Davidson
Richard Davidson, a construction worker said: “The cost of living affects me, yes but my family and I try to cope with it by budgeting. I’m a family of four. I’m the sole breadwinner and sometimes relatives would support us. Prices for food items have gone up in the market. For example, a couple months back, a 10-kg Karibee rice cost $1,500; now the rice cost about $2,400 and something. Before, a pound of sugar cost $140; now a pound of sugar cost $200. When I go to the supermarket with $20,000 now, I’m not getting all the food items I need. The government should consider increasing people’s salary more, especially the pensioners’ monthly stipend more. Not everyone can afford to purchase items with the money they have.”
Duke Neptune
Duke Neptune, 62-year-old self-employed said: “Well, the cost of living in general is causing everything to go up. Every time you go to the store the cost for things is rising. I’m self-employed and being self-employed, I have to be able to work and support myself and family but work is slow right now. I do reupholster and construction work. I’m the sole breadwinner for my wife. Sometimes she works along with me. The cost of living is challenging most of the times because whatever I earn, I have to pay the utility bills then buy food items. The one worker I have, I try to keep her with hopes that my business doesn’t get worst where I have to let her go. The cost for vegetables fluctuates in the market and the prices for other grocery items have increase in the market. Even, the cost for cooking gas has increase. A 20-lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $3,700 before; now the gas cost $4,500. The cost for items that I use in my line of work is expensive too. A gallon oil paint before cost $5,500; now the paint cost $6,500. Also, a gallon lacquer before cost $5,500; now the lacquer cost $6,500. I really can’t say what could be done to help the cost of living because whoever is responsible, has to look into it. I really don’t know what cause this because in every way, people are complaining about the cost of living. We can’t say we are placing control prices on items because the wholesalers and retailers are selling their items at a high price, yet at the end of the day, they have a lot of food items to throw away. Why? So, even the sales people can do better. I think it’s greed because instead of throwing the food items away at the end of the day because people are not buying the items at their prices, why not sell the items at a cheaper cost. So, it’s not just the government responsible for the cost of living but the wholesalers and retailers are responsible as well.”
Melvis Allsopp
Melvis Allsopp, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is very high because I’m struggling to make ends meet. The monthly pension and NIS I receive every month is not enough to support my family of two. By the time I purchase couple things from the market/supermarket the money finished. My son lives with me, he supports me but he still has his expense to cover. Couple years back, when my husband was alive, we use to buy monthly grocery but now I cannot afford to buy monthly grocery. The money I used to spend before on the monthly grocery, I’m spending it to buy two weeks grocery. This is very expensive. For example, a couple months ago a bale of toilet paper cost $1,000; now the bale cost $1,300/$1,400/$1,500, depending on which brand you buy. I still find the prices for vegetables have increase in the market. The prices for karila, boulanger, ochro and celery are still high. Before three small boulanger cost $200/$300; now the same parcel of boulanger cost $500. I think the government should reduce the VAT for building materials and some food items. Also, the government should consider providing every household with $500,000 every three months to help with the rising cost of living. “
Sheshanite Mangru
Sheshanite Mangru, a 37-year-old single parent said: “The cost of living is affecting me terribly because I have three kids and as a single mother it’s hard for me to provide for my kids. The prices for sugar, rice, meat and even vegetables have risen in the market. The cost of living is hard on us. Sometimes, I try to sell some items like clothes to provide for my family but for the past months I haven’t made any money. When you have kids to send to school and have to find money to give them every day for transportation to catch the bus, it is really hard. The transportation fare gone up now. So, it is hard on me. I’m a family of five. I baby sit sometimes, just to provide for my kids followed by rearing one and two chicken sometimes, just to get by. For example, a 10-kg bag of Karibee rice before cost $1,900; now I’m buying the rice for $3,300. Before I used to buy 6 Bangamary fish for $1,000; now I’m buying I pound of Bangamary fish which consist of two fish for $640. Well, I see the prices for greens like bora, pumpkin and seasoning like eschalot gone down. Now, I can’t buy celery, I’m getting a little thing for $100. The government should consider reducing the prices for some food items to help people with the cost of living.”
