Part 82
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Hillfoot Village on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Rishme Sukdeo
Rishme Sukdeo, a 29-year-old part-time worker said: “The cost for everything gone up in the markets/shops. Vegetables gone up, other grocery items gone up, fish all gone up. Everybody working as usual because you have to pay the water bill and light bill. My husband works one and two days and I clean eddoes part-time to make ends meet. We have two children going to school and I have a disabled son. Together my husband and I try with my disabled child. We don’t get any help for him because the hospital said he’s not disabled; he a little autistic. Everything gone up…for example, a 10kg Karibee rice before cost $2,400; now the rice cost $2,600. A big bottle oil a couple month ago cost $3,000; the oil now cost $7,000. I think the government should reduce the cost for items a little because when you have to find things for your children to go to school and then pay the utility bills and buy groceries, I’m left with $1,000.”
Kalawttie Couchman
Kalawttie Couchman, a 56-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is hard on me and my husband because right now he’s not working because he is sickly. We are renting right now and we rely on my two sons to help us pay the rent. They take care of us but the money they work for is not enough to take care of us. Right now, we owe rent. Sometimes when we don’t have transportation to go to Georgetown Public Hospital for my husband’s treatment, a nurse would visit our apartment. The prices for rice, flour, sugar, greens and other grocery items have increased in the market. The money we have most of the time can’t do to buy food items from the greens bus and shop up here. Things are expensive. For example, a 10kg Karibee white rice before cost $1,800; now the rice cost $2,000. Before I could have bought a nice parcel of bora for $200; now the bora cost $300. The cost of living is really tough on me. The government need to step in and help poor people. Now $2,000 can’t do to feed my husband and I.”
Gagadai Persaud
Gagadai Persaud, a 50-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I very bad because the prices for items are expensive in the supermarket. My husband is the sole breadwinner for my family of three including my granddaughter. Right now, he is sick so whenever he could work, he works; the cost of living is very hard on us. From the little money he gets, I pay the electricity bill and so. The cost for everything gone up in the supermarkets. For example, a couple months ago a pound of Karila cost $150/$200; now the Karila cost $400 a pound. Also, a 10kg Karibee rice before cost $1,400/$1,500; now the rice cost $2,000/$2,200. Even the cost for bora gone up. We just have to cope with the cost of living. I have now started replanting vegetables to ease on the cost a little. I started with some bora”
Alfred Cramer
Alfred Cramer, a 54-year-old security guard said: “The cost of living is affecting my family of seven really bad because the cost for everything has increased in the shops. Things expensive bad. My family and I try to cope with the cost of living. I support only my wife and one child; the other family members support the rest of the household. Every day I have to catch bus to go to work and back home then buy groceries items; this would be really hard on me cause things are costly. I have to try to manage. For example, before a bread cost $360; now the bread cost $460. A pound of flour before cost $180; now a pound of flour cost $240/$260. We just have to cope with the high cost of living.”
Nathram Persaud
Nathram Persaud said: “The cost for everything is expensive in the markets. The rice, the sugar, the flour, tin items; the cost for everything gone up. If we need food items, we have to buy it. It is still hard on me because I don’t always get enough money to buy food items. My family and I pool our money together and buy the items we need. I clean chicken for a living. I’m a family of seven. I help support my family. For example, a tin of tuna a couple month back cost $240; now the tuna cost $300/360. Also, a pound of chicken a couple months back cost $360/$380/$400; now the chicken cost $500/$600. Both the government and business owners should reduce the cost of living because people’s salary is small. People’s salary needs to increase.”
Mark Butler
Mark Butler, a 44-year-old labourer said: “I don’t have a proper job because the work that is around the area I can’t do because I get an allergic reaction to the eddo in the farm. I barely getting a one-day/two-day work now to help my wife with the utility bills and to buy grocery items for the home. I would really like if I can get a proper full-time job because the cost of living is high. I can’t pressure my wife who has a full-time work. Then I have a child to take care of. The electricity bill comes high every month. We are really trying to make ends meet with whatever money we have. For example, a pound of sugar before cost $150; now the sugar cost $240. A couple months back a Thunderbolt flour cost $480; now the flour cost $560. Well, I get greens cheaper from the La Penitence market. I’m glad if I can get a proper job and help with insecticides as I would like to continue planting but some insects affect the crops.”
Parbatie Mohass
Parbatie Mohass, a 47-year-old single mother said: “The cost of living is high because the cost for everything has gone up in the market. I live with my two daughters. My family support me. They pay the electricity bill. For example, 10kg Karibee rice a couple month back cost $2,200; now the rice cost $2,500. Is everything gone up in the market, even the prices for drinks gone up. A one litre drink a couple months ago cost $300; now the drink cost $400. I prefer to make my local drinks. I budget to make ends meet. When the government is sharing out things in the village not everyone gets the items but when the government has meeting in the village everyone attends. I don’t know who to vote for when you need help, nobody isn’t helping.”
Shelly Jandoo
Shelly Jandoo, a 47-year-old housewife said: “Some days I don’t get money to buy things I want for the home because the cost of living is high. My family of four including my two sons and husband try to make do with whatever we have. My two sons and husband work and provide for the home. For example, a 10kg Karibee rice before cost $2,100; now the rice cost $2,500. The cost for both onions and garlic gone up in the markets. A pound of onions/garlic before cost $100 and something; Now a pound of onion gone to $500 and a pound of garlic gone to $600. I think the government should reduce the cost for basic food items.”
Jeffrey Burnette
Jeffrey Burnette, a 32-year-old bus driver said: “The Vat on food items cause the cost for food items to go up. Everything expensive in the shops/markets. Every time I go to the shop something always raising. Seven people live in my home including my four kids, my wife’s cousin, my wife and I. Both my wife and I work to provide for the home. She works part-time while I work full time as a bus driver but right now, I’m not working because the bus is in the workshop to repair. When my wife receives her money, we make one thing and buy groceries for the home. Then we have to buy things for the kids since they have to go to school; it can be very tight on us sometimes. For example, a pound of chicken before cost $500; now the chicken cost $660. Before a pound of celery cost $300; now a blade of celery cost $300. I have my own kitchen garden that assist us with the high cost of living but still the cost for items is high. I try innovative ways to survive. I think the government should cut the taxes for items the children have to use to go to school.”
Lorna Adams
Lorna Adams, a 60-year-old vendor said: “The cost of living is rough because I can’t even pay my bills. The water and light bills come high every month. I live alone and the bills comes high every month. It’s not easy. I run a shop. I sell vegetables and other items. I try to manage with the high cost of living. You just have to continue working to cope with the cost of living. The cost for everything gone up in the market. The cost for oil is higher than other grocery items now. Even a pound of sugar gone up. Before a pound of sugar cost $100; now a pound of sugar cost $200. A good bundle of bora before cost $1,000; now a small bundle of bora cost $1,800. The prices for tomatoes, rice and other items gone up… I think our country supposed to be one of the richest countries; We have a lot of rich resources. I’m trying with my planting too. We just have to cope with the cost of living.”
