Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Uitvlugt, West 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
Seeta Washington
Seeta Washington, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is hard for my son because the cost for everything in the market is expensive. I’m a family of five, including my two grandsons, my son and daughter-in-law. I receive my monthly pension and both my son and daughter-in-law work. At the end of the month, we have to pay rent, then the utility bill and then buy groceries. So, the cost of living is hard on us. Everything gone up in the market. Although the cost of living is hard, whatever money we have we try to cope with the cost of living. I normally try to stretch my pension so it can last throughout the month. I have a cholesterol problem, so I try to keep money to buy items I can eat every month. Well, the prices for fruits have gone up. For example, a pound of apple bananas a couple months back cost about $160; now I’m purchasing $200 a pound for the bananas. A small pineapple now cost $700; before the same pineapple cost $500. I saw that the prices for some vegetables have reduced in the market, such as boulanger, poi leaves, among others. Even the cost for a 10kg cylinder cooking gas has increased. The government should look into the rising cost of living.”
Baby Sasemarine
Baby Sasemarine, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is really high, really high. The prices for everything have increase in the markets. I’m a single parent, I receive survival benefit and my monthly pension followed by financial help from my son. When I finish paying the utility bills, whatever money is left, I would use that to purchase food items to last me through the month. I’m living alone. I used to do domestic work but I stopped since people can’t afford to pay me. Things is hard with me. Well, recently the government had distributed a hamper to me which I’m grateful for. Only the other day, I had purchased couple items for the home and I found that the prices are high. For example, before a small pack of self-rising flour cost $300; now the flour cost $560. A tin of evaporated milk before cost $200; now the milk cost $300. The cost for a 1 litre Sunflower cooking oil now gone up in the market. I can say that the cost for vegetables, like boulanger, gone down in the market. A small slice of pumpkin now $200; before I used to buy a bigger piece of pumpkin for $200. I think the vendors should reduce the cost for food items so everyone can afford to buy food items. I don’t think we should blame the government. If you do not have $20,000/ $30,000 now, you can’t buy food items. The cost for groceries alone gone up in the market.”
Narisa Chand
Narisa Chand, a 23-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is high, yes, but we can’t do anything about it because you got to pay your money; you got to live. The cost for everything rises and drop sometimes. If the vendors buy the items at a cheaper price, they would sell it at a cheaper price to us but if not, the prices are high. My husband is the sole provider for my home. I’m a family of four which includes my two kids. My husband does all the grocery shopping. The cost of living is high, yes, but it doesn’t affect us much because we try to cope with it. For example, the prices for a medium tin Fernleaf milk and a normal box cereal have increased in the markets. I used to buy the milk for $6,000 before; I’m now buying the tin milk for $8,000. Also, I used to purchase the cereal for $2,100 a couple months back; now the cereal cost $2,500. We just have to cope with the rising cost of living.”
Mahasia Lall
Mahasia Lall, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is hard when purchasing food items. The cost for everything is very, very high. I’m trying with my monthly pension but things are hard on my family and I sometimes. I’m a family of six including my daughter, son-in-law and their three children. My son-in-law is the only one working in the home and he helps provide for us. Even though he’s working, the cost of living is still hard on us. I don’t really go to the market but I heard from my daughter how costly food items are sold in the market. When you go to the shop, the prices for food items always increasing. I usually buy items for me to last me through the month until I receive my pension again. Those items like my Complan I purchase in the tin, is costly right now. A couple months back, the Complan cost $1,200/$1,500; now the Complan cost $2,500. When the clinic does not have some of my medications, it would be costly to buy them from the pharmacy. Before I could have purchased all my medications for $2,500; now I’m paying $5,000 for all my medications. What are you going to do? You can’t do anything, you have to try with the cost of living; you can’t give up. People are blaming the government for the high prices but it is not the government to be blamed, it’s the people employed to work. Also, the retailers are the people who increase the price on their items, when they purchase items to sell back to us. So, it’s not the government to blame for the high cost. We just have to cope with the rising cost of living.”
Romona Rambharose
Romona Rambharose, a 50-year-old housewife said: “Well, everybody knows the rising cost of living is ongoing. My husband and I live alone and the cost of living is still hard on us both. Only recently my husband returned to his job because he wasn’t feeling good. I would buy shrimps, clean them and sell to people who want. I also sell other things as a side hustle. In that way, I will get an additional income so we can budget. The cost for almost everything has gone up in the markets. Well, the prices for greens dropped a little in the market because normally I would purchase three boulanger for $500; now I’m buying one boulanger for $100. I’m now buying a good portion of bora for $500 versus when I had to buy $1,000 bora for us. The prices for other grocery items have increased in the market. For example, a couple months back the 90 lbs bag Dewani rice cost about $6,000; now the rice cost $12,000. We used to purchase a big pack Thunderbolt flour for $480; now I buying the flour for $540 a pack. The government should increase people’s salary more to help with the rising cost of living.”
Chandrowty Singh
Chandrowty Singh, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I when buying food items. My grandson lives with me. He works part time and I receive my monthly pension. He helps provide for us but the money that he works for, is not enough to support us. Everything gone up in the market. For example, the cost for a 10kg Karibee rice a couple months back was $1,800; now the rice cost $2,200. The cost for 1 litre cooking oil before was $300; now the oil cost $750. Well, the prices for some greens gone down, like boulanger. I think the vendors should reduce the prices for their goods because when I finish paying my water and electricity bills, the money I’m left with can’t buy all the groceries I need.”
Rhea Singh
Rhea Singh, a 21-year-old housewife said: “Things are really expensive because I have a baby and the prices for milk, pampers and among other items are costly. I’m a family of three. I am the sole breadwinner at the moment and I’m home with the baby for now. The prices for items are costly now, so I am doing things my way, in order for the items to last longer. Sometimes when you go to the market, the prices for vegetables sometimes reduce, while sometimes they are still high. Every week the prices go up in the market. Sometimes I would buy some items from the cart that passes in the community, and the prices would usually be high because the cart is coming to my home. For example, before 3 boulangers cost $200; now the same quantity of boulanger cost $500. Sometimes, I would get to buy the Nestum for my child from the supermarket while sometimes I would not. I heard it’s scarce, that’s why. The cost for Nestum has increased in the market, for example, before the Nestum cost $1,860; now the Nestum cost $2,100. A couple months back, I had purchased a pack of paste on Sleepy diapers (64 in a pack) for $3,800; now I’m purchasing the pushup Sleepy diapers (100 in a pack) for $5,400. I think the government should assist young mothers who are home with their babies and not working with some type of assistance. I was working before but since I got my baby, I’m home so I’m hoping when my child starts school next year, I would work again.”
Seeta Somwaru
Seeta Somwaru, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because I can’t get to buy what I want to buy. The cost for food items is high. Because of my current stomach problem, I cannot eat certain food and right now I cannot afford the items I need because the items are expensive. I have about 79 lbs. I’m a family of three including my mentally disabled son. My husband and I receive our monthly pension but still that can’t do to support us. Sometimes I cannot afford to feed my son, and he goes into the garbage bin to find food. He wants to eat like three/four time a day, and I can’t afford to feed him because the cost of living is really high. I really would like if I can get him enroll in a place that can help his condition. Right now, I need bananas for myself and I can’t afford to purchase that. Even the cost for Nestum has increase in the market. A couple month ago, a small Nestum cost about $1,800; now the Nestum cost $2,000. Also, a pound of apple bananas a couple months ago cost $160/$140; now the bananas cost $250. The cost for cooking gas has gone up in the market as well. Well, the cost for some greens has gone down in the market while the cost for some is still high. The government should look into these high prices. In relation to the high cost for imported items, I think the government should look for other sources to import items, subsidize on imported items or offer cash reliefs to people to counteract those rise in prices of imported items.”
Basmatie Singh
Basmatie Singh, 49-year-old single parent. said: “The cost of living is hard right now for me because the grocery is costly. The prices for some vegetables are sold reasonable in the market, while some are expensive. This is really hard for me because I’m not working anywhere at the moment and I’m a single mother to two children. My daughter seldomly works to provide for the home but that can’t do because I have to pay the water and the electricity bills. My neighbour would usually give me food to eat sometimes. I work part-time as a domestic worker, but now I’m not working because I’m not well. I’m finding it really hard to pay the utility bills most of the time. The cost of living is hard for me. For example, a couple months ago, a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1,800 and something; now the rice cost $2,700. Also, a medium sized bottle Wesson cooking oil a couple months ago cost $3,000; now the oil cost $4,800. I really would like if the government can provide some kind of relief for my family. Also, for the government to help people in general with the rising cost of living. Even the bridge in front of our village needs doing.”
Dhanraj Balgobin
Dhanraj Balgobin, a 59-year-old fishman said: “My wife and I live alone. I’m the sole breadwinner for the home. Certain shops have the cost up while the Chinese sells the items at a more affordable cost. Recently, I had purchased a XL from the shop in the area and I paid $280; the Chinese selling the same XL for $200. I bought some 2-inch and a half nail recently for $550; before the cost was $500. The cost for food items have increased in the market. Every day the cost for something going up by $20 and $40 in the shops and markets.
Now when you go with $5,000 at the shop, you only get like two items, rice and oil. If someone is working for a day’s pay of $5,000/$3,000 that can’t buy anything much. A couple month ago a 20 lb cylinder cooking gas cost $4,200/$4,400; now the cooking gas cost $4,500. The cost of living is hard on people who has to pay rent, utility bills then buy groceries.
The cost of living is high and the salary is not increasing. The government should place price control on items to help with the rising cost of living.”
