Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Part 84
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public on the island of Wakenaam in the Essequibo River about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Stanley Sooklall
Stanley Sooklall, a 62-year-old farmer: `Sometime the cost of living affects my family and I because the cost for groceries is expensive at the shop. My wife, she works two jobs to support the family while I repair motorbikes and plant provision and some vegetable to sell to people to make ends meet. Our sons are not working, so whatever produce we get from the farm we sell in order to pay the utility bills. The cost of living does affect us a little because when we really need to buy something, we don’t get the money the same time, I have to wait until my wife get her salary and so on to buy grocery items. For example, a pound of garlic a couple months back cost $200; now the garlic cost $400. Also, a bottle Canola Wesson oil (4.73L) a couple months back cost $3,500; now the oil cost $4,000. I don’t know what could be done to help with the cost of living because the cost for food items increasing at the shops every day, so we just have to cope with the high cost of living.’
Maynard Mentus
Maynard Mentus, a 48-year-old shopkeeper: `The cost of living is not so bad because my family and I try to cope with it. It is the jobs that are scarce; this island does not have enough jobs for people, just farming. There is no factory to hire people to work. I’m coping but you have to work hard. I’m a family of six, including my son. My wife works out of the home, my father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law try with the produce from the farm to sell to people while I run the grocery shop. Together, we all come together and pay the utility bills and other expenses. The prices for all grocery items are high. At least, we can plant something to cope with the high cost of living. For example, a couple months ago a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $2,300; now the rice cost $4,500. Also, a 1 litre bottle oil before cost $500; now the same oil cost $600. The cost for couple other items like Fabuloso, soap, a tin of Nestum gone up at the shops. I think the relevant authority should do something to reduce the prices for food items.’
Yvette Martin
Yvette Martin, a pensioner said: `Well when I go in the shop to purchase food items, I have noticed that the cost for food items is very costly. I can’t buy everything I want when I’m in the shop. The only thing that is affecting my family is the high cost of living on the island. We getting electricity, water but the Internet service up here is not the best; when the rain falls, we don’t get to use the Internet because the WIFI goes off. Other than that, my family and I are good. I’m a family of three, including my son and my daughter. I’m running the home with my monthly pension; nobody works in the home. I try to cut from the grocery side and pay my utility bills. I usually get public assistance for the boy but until January me and the Ministry still trying to sort out things so I have the book to renew for my son. For example, a few months ago a 10 kg bag rice at the shop on the island cost $2,000; now the rice cost $2,400. A 15 lb bag sugar a couple month ago cost $1,800; now the sugar cost $2,400. Even, the cost for flour gone up at the shops. I usually credit food items from the shop and when I get my pension I would pay the bills. I think the government should speed up the process when the public assistance book has to renew and also increase pensioners’ monthly stipend to up keep us until the next month.”
Geweline Gonsalves
Geweline Gonsalves: `The cost of living is affecting my family of two a lot when paying the utility bills and buying grocery items since the prices for food items are high at the shop. I receive my monthly pension while my husband works as a security officer. We are old and because of my husband’s sick foot he can’t go to the backdam to do other work. We have some fruits and vegetables plants at the riverside to help us through the month. So, the cost of living affects us bad. Even the cost for the milk we use gone up. For example, a small pack Fernleaf milk a couple months back cost $700; now the milk cost $800. Also, a pound of potatoes before cost $150; now a pound of potatoes cost $200. A pound of garlic now cost $400 and something; before the garlic cost $200. The government should consider raising the pensioners’ monthly stipend a little more as well as private sectors’ salary. The high cost of living makes the prices for food items increase at the shops. When I send my husband with $5000 at the shop to buy a few items, he comes back with the money because the prices for food items have risen. I try not to credit from the shop’.
Anntola Retemiah
Anntola Retemiah, a 42-year-old farmer: `The cost of living is affecting my family and I terrible because when you go to the shop with $5000 to buy grocery items from the shop, it’s like you going with a $1000. My husband and four of my children live together. My husband works out of town and I’m a farmer that sells vegetables, fruits and provision to help pay the utility bills and cover other expenses. For example, a couple months ago a pound of sugar cost $100; now a pound of sugar cost $140/$180 at some places. A 10 kg bag rice before cost $1,900; now the rice cost $2,200/ $2,300 some places. The government should consider reducing the cost for food items.’
Carlyle Robertson
Carlyle Robertson, a pensioner said: `Well the cost of living is very rough because the prices for food items are high. This is a farming community and as a boy growing up on this island or like two years ago, when you go and ask anybody who has plantains, you would get a bunch of plantains free from the neighbours. Now, because of the rising cost of living everyone sells everything. Before you could pick up coconuts from under the coconut trees; now everyone selling their produce to offset their expenses. So, the cost of living is very, very rough on everyone. My wife and I live together. I’m a pensioner and also a plantain farmer. Before the government said that they will give pensioners subsidy on the water; now I have to pay all my bills, exclusive of the water bills since I have ten black tanks set up to supply the home with water because I’m not getting no subsidy on water. Then when you go to the shops, the prices are high and different to suit certain individuals. For example, a pound of eddoes a couple months ago cost $100; now a pound of eddoes cost $160. A bag of sugar before cost $8,000; now the same sugar cost $13,000. Is either the government reduce the cost for commodities which is very hard or raise people’s salary. On the other hand, these shops are increasing the prices more when the government share cash grant, especially for the school children. The government should also implement ways and means to balance the prices at the shop whilst increasing peoples’ salary.”
Hazel Edwards
Hazel Edwards: `The cost of living is terrible because the income you receive is not enough for you to buy whatever you want. The cost of living is not so hard on me but if I had children, I don’t know how I would have made out because right now a pound of plantains cost $200 a pound. Sometimes we might get things cheaper now and again at the shops. The cost for vegetables and so gone up; is everything gone up. For example, before a pound of sugar cost $200; now a pound of sugar cost $300. A couple months back, a pound of snapper cost $500; now the fish cost $600.When I get my pension, I buy items I need. What happen to parents who have children going to school? Not everyone can produce things. Is either you buy or produce. I have my kitchen garden to help me. I have couple fruits trees and plantains… Sometimes I sell plantains to make ends meet. Everybody finding the cost of living hard. I think the government should consider increasing people’s salary and pensioners’ monthly stipend.’
Savitrie Melville
Savitrie Melville, a 48-year-old part-time government worker: `The cost for everything has increased at the shops and this is hard on my family of four including, my two sons and husband when purchasing grocery items on the island. I have my kitchen garden where I plant a few crops like ochro and tomatoes to cope with the cost of living. My husband has his own farm and he plants plantain, cassava, eddoes so he brings home when he sells and my eldest son work part-time to provide for the home. Right now, the cost for eddo increased. A pound of eddoes cost $150/140 some place; now a pound of eddoes cost $200/$240. I also work as a part-time government worker to help pay the bills. The prices for items at Parika are more expensive compared to items on the island, luckily, I live on Wakenaam because most fruits and vegetables I don’t have to purchase. Also, you can go ask your neighbour for some cherry, if you don’t have. Mostly, the prices for grocery items gone up on the island. For example, before a 2 kg pack flour, cost $340/$360 at some shops; now the flour cost $700. Even, the cost for split peas gone up. We just have to cope with the cost of living because it is not only in Guyana has a high cost of living but other countries.’
Shellian Nelson
Shellian Nelson, a 35-year-old housewife: `The cost of living is affecting my family of six including, my husband and four children because the salary my husband is working for, is not enough to sustain us. When I buy one item from the shop in here, the money finishes quickly. For example, a couple months back a Bakewell bread cost about $460 before; now the bread cost $500. Also before, a 5 pound of sugar cost $800; now the sugar cost $1000. Luckily, I have my kitchen garden to help with the cost of living. Things like fruits and certain vegetables I don’t have to buy. Salary needs to increase to help with the high cost of living.’
Utalene Pinder
Utalene Pinder: `Every day you go to the shop, the cost for items always increasing…Even the cost for beer gone up at the shops. If someone wants to go out and have a nice time, how can you afford a beer for $500? I sell every little thing including, beverages, grocery items, cutters and so to pay the utility bills. The cost for a bag of potatoes gone up now. A couple months back, a bag of potatoes cost $4,000; now the potatoes cost $9,000 a bag. Also, before a 10 kg bag Karibee rice cost $1,900; now the rice cost $2,300. Even, a bag of garlic gone up. My husband, my son and I live together. If I cook today, sometimes I would not afford to cook tomorrow. My family and I have our own farm where we plant ground provisions and sell to people. We try to cope with the fruits trees we have at our backyard and kitchen garden. My husband’s pension comes in good to pay the utility bills, I’m going to get my pension soon. The government should increase pensioners’ monthly pension and peoples’ salary since there is no price control.’
