Stabroek News spoke to members of the public at Friendship, East Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Bibi Intazam
Bibi Intazam, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting me in many ways. When I buy groceries, pay the utility bills and cater for snacks, I budget but still the money is not enough for me. The cost for food items has increased in the markets and shops. I live alone and receive my monthly pension. Sometimes I get help from relatives and I have my own kitchen garden to help cope with the high cost of living. Sometimes, if I am accustom buying three-four items a month, I reduced the items I usually buy in order to make ends meet. Before times, I used to buy $5,000 worth in grocery; now you have to go to the supermarket with $20,000 – $25,000 to get the same amount of grocery.
I make sure I ask the prices for the goods at the supermarket before I go to the cashier so I won’t feel shame if I can’t afford it. Or sometimes, I would usually tell the cashier how much money I have so when the bill amount reached my money I have, she would stop scanning the other grocery items. To me like the cost for everything gone up.
For example, a 2 litre refined coconut oil a few month ago cost about $900 and something; the oil cost $1,500 now. The cost for a pound of onions a couple months ago was about $100 and something; now the onions cost nearly $500 a pound. The prices for soap powder, pumpkin and other items have gone up. Items like celery, peppers, ochro, bora and couple other items I get from my kitchen garden, don’t have to buy them; I don’t play lazy. Mostly grocery items I buy.
The cost for items goes up and down because if you go to one stand in the market, I would get a different price for the items compared to when I go to other stands. You can’t blame the government for the high cost of living because the shop people do their own things sometimes but the government need to check with the shops, markets/ supermarket to do something better to reduce the prices for food items.”
Cecil Allicock
Cecil Allicock, a 63-year-old unemployed resident said: “Right now I need some help from anyone because I have rent to pay and I don’t have a job; my landlord gave me some time to pay the rent. I’m trying with the cost of living but food items is costly now in the markets/shops. The prices for sugar and rice have increased… The cost for things going up but it’s not coming down and it will not come down. It doesn’t matter which government is in power, the same thing will go on; the cost of living will go up. People need more money; people’s salary need to increase. Even though I don’t have a job, I usually help clean the yard and care for the landlord since she is sickly. I live alone but the landlord who is close to me usually help me with my food expenses. She needs help with her pension because she is sickly and when she covered her electricity expense, she has to buy food items for herself. She receives rent from me, but because of my situation she said don’t bother with that. She sometimes has to buy medication and her pension is not enough to cover the expense. If the government could give us some sort of assistance that will be good. I need a job. If I get a weeding machine that will be good for me as I will get work. The cost for items has gone up, for example, a couple months back the cost for a 1 litre bottle oil was $240/ two for $500; now, in the supermarket the cost for the oil is $400, on the road is $360/$380. Also, a tray of eggs last year cost $1,000; now the eggs cost $1,300/$1,600 and sells in different grades at some places. Well, the prices for greens are coming down. The president did say that if you plant more things, the cost for things will drop more. Right now, I am cleaning up the garden because the crops are not bearing at the moment so we both (the landlord and i) purchase one and two things from the market.”
Balliram Lallbeharry, a pensioner/ poultry hatchery owner said: “I live alone so the cost of living doesn’t really bother me because I don’t really use much of things; I buy less items. Well, the cost for some items gone up, yes but I’m trying to cope with it by putting the extra money to buy it… The main thing is that you are getting the items to buy. I saw that the prices for drinks gone up. A couple month back a 2-litre Coca Cola cost $500/$520; now some places the Coca Cola cost $500/$600. Some things I saw gone up by $20. For example, a couple months ago a pound of potatoes cost $520; now the potatoes cost $540. Also, a 10-pound cylinder cooking gas a couple month ago cost $4,200/$4,400 some places; now the gas cost $4,600/$4,800 some places. One bottle gas last longer with me cause it’s me alone. I think the cost of living will go up more because I normally deal with hatching eggs; I bring the eggs from overseas. Once the cost for feed raises overseas, the cost for the eggs raises as well over there. Except, the freight cost, it is the same compared to years ago because it’s competition over there, same thing in Guyana, it’s competition. If the Chinese didn’t come and do business in Guyana, well you could say cost of living gone up.
If you go to the Chinese store now, you see that different Chinese store sells their items for $20 less. I bring in the eggs, hatched the eggs using my own hatchery and sell the chicks on a small scale for someone else to rear now until I feel better as I recently slipped and fell and injured my foot. So, I’m coping with the cost of living. I receive income from the hatchery so the pension I started receiving since August last year, I usually donate it to help someone who’s in need.
I think the government can’t do anything about the high cost of living because even though the government subsidize, the people (wholesalers and retailers) will still hold on to their high prices and the consumer will still have to buy it. We just have to cope with the cost of living. If you are working for a salary, people salary can raise but how much the government will raise the salary?”
Sharon Ogle
Sharon Ogle, a 45-year-old domestic worker said: “The cost of living is affecting me terrible because the cost for everything has gone up in the market/supermarket. I live alone while all my children work and support me. I try to cope with the cost of living, I do domestic work to help myself. For example, before the cost for a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1,700; now the rice cost $2,500. Even the prices for garlic, onion, potatoes, milk powder, sugar have gone up in the market. The prices for food items keep fluctuating in the markets/shops. A couple month back a pound of milk cost $460; now the milk cost $500.
The government should come together and see what is happening to the children today, we are their children, we come first. Our country has so many resources and still poverty is on the increase.
Why we have to suffer when we have so many resources? It is terrible what we are going through. You know I went to the grocery place today and what I budgeted for, I didn’t bring home quarter of it. I went with $7,000 and I got milk, two packs chowmein, two packs macaroni; the prices are so high. What we are going to do, we can’t complain, we have to try to survive.”
Tishana John
Tishana John, a 41-year-old sales representative said: “The cost of living is high but what you are going to do about that? You have to eat so you have to spend. To me I think the cost for certain things are high, yes. I’m a family of four and my two sons, my husband and I work. We all pool our money together to pay the utility bills and buy groceries for the home. For example, a 1 litre bottle oil a couple months ago cost about $400 and something; now the oil cost $600. A few months ago, a pound of garlic cost $300; now the garlic cost $400 and something. I think the government should increase people’s salary to help with the cost of living.”
Boreen Persaud
Boreen Persaud, a pensioner/fruits vendor said: “The cost of living is affecting me because I’m not getting to buy the food items I need because things are expensive. Everything expensive; greens and other grocery items in the markets. I’m a family of six persons and we try to manage the cost of living. My husband is a farmer and he mainly gets his income from his cassava sales. Only now I’m selling fruits in front of my home because I was sick and this will help to bring in income into the home. My son works and provide for his wife and two children. He support me financially monthly so I get some money to buy groceries for the home.
My husband and I used to make good profit on the cassava but now we can only sell for $30 a pound wholesale per 100 pounds bag of cassava. Cassava gets cheap now. When we finished paying labour cost to clean the cassava, we are not left with anything much. The cost for food items is high, for example, a 10 kg Karibee rice a couple month ago cost $2,000/$2,200; now the rice cost $2,500. A 10-pound cooking gas a couple months ago cost $3,200; now the gas cost $4,800. I use my pension to pay bills. I don’t get to buy clothes and so but basic food items I barely try to buy for the home. My son’s salary can’t maintain us. The government should increase people’s salary.”
Esther Rose
Esther Rose, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot when buying groceries because it is costly. Well, the cost for electricity has reduced so that is not a problem for me.
I live alone and I try to cope with the cost of living by budgeting and so. For example, a few months ago, a small Milex Hi and Low milk cost $1,000; now the milk cost $1,100 and something. I’m a pressure case so I can’t use anything. Also, a couple months ago, a small pack Demerara Gold sugar cost $300 and something; now the sugar cost $400 and something. Every time I go to purchase sugar the cost keeps going up. Well, don’t talk about the cost for greens, the last time I checked, the cost was high but as of recently, I can’t say because I haven’t visited the market as yet. I think better could be done for the pensioners because when I don’t get the medication at the clinic, I have to buy it.”
Sumintra Persaud
Sumintra Persaud, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is not so much high but when I go to the market/supermarket and so, I find that things are expensive. My husband and I are pensioners and we try to battle the cost of living by budgeting because we have the utility bills to pay, then I have to see what I can buy for the home.
For example, a couple months ago a pound of chicken (plucked) cost $500 wholesale; now a pound of chicken cost $700. A couple months ago a 1 litre bottle Soybean oil cost about $600 and something; now the oil cost $1,100 and something. Sometimes when I have to purchase medications, the money left back can’t do to buy grocery items. I think the government should raise pensioners’ monthly stipend to help with the cost of living.”
Robert Paul
Robert Paul, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting me because I can’t save anything. I have to look after the groceries. The bills coming that I have to pay as well. I try with my garden but sometimes when here floods, it affects the plant. Both my wife and I are pensioners and sometimes I do part-time work to bring in some extra money in the home since the pension is not enough for us. For example, the pressure tablet is expensive now.
A couple months ago a card of the pressure tablet cost $260; now the tablet cost $500. Also, 5 pounds sugar a few months back cost $400 and something; now the sugar cost $800. The president putting the people to do the work but like they are not doing the work well. The government should look into the high cost of living.”
Umvar Angad, a pensioner/ security guard said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because we are not benefiting from the revenue from the oil. I’m working hard as a security guard to buy groceries for myself because the cost of living is high. Well, my daughter-in-law and son live with me and help me pay the utility bills. To me, like the cost for everything has gone up in the market.
For example, a couple months ago, a 10-pound cylinder cooking gas cost $4,000 and something; now the gas cost $5,000 and something. Also, a 5-litre cooking oil a few months back cost $1,800; now the oil cost $2,500 and something. I think the government should assist the people with some money to help with the cost of living.”
