Dear Editor,
President Ali must be congratulated for being a miracle worker or a top performer relative to cost of living. Food inflation in Guyana is held to the incredible: 3.8%. It must be a world beater, since I believe that there is no other country that comes close to that 3.8% number. Taking 3.8% as the genuine article, Guyana either has the best price controllers, the best inflation managers, or the best statistical officers. Or the best dissemblers and deniers. Perhaps, it’s a combination of all components in that quintet. If anyone but the president had put 3.8% as where food inflation is, I would call him or her a liar. For a sitting president, I extend the courtesy of under-estimator or exaggerator. Something is fundamentally wrong with 3.8% for food inflation in Guyana, because it flies in the face of local reality, crashes under its own wingless thrust, which gives it no lift, hence it drags and fall flat on its, ahem, bottom. I give another courtesy to both Excellency Ali and his people. I take them to the centerspread of SN, Cost of Living Series, Part 87 and the villagers of Friendship, East Bank Demerara. I give voice to their words. Painful, they are, in another dose of the great contradiction between the official food inflation number (3.8%) and the gritty reality of food purchasers battling with food prices.
Ms. Bibi Intazam, pensioner: “I used to buy $5,000 worth in groceries; now you have to go with $20,000-25,000 to get the same amount of grocery.” Even with my nursery school mathematics, that is 400% on the low end and not 3.8%, whatever her basket of “grocery” is versus that of the government’s. Mr. Cecil Allicock, 63 and unemployed: “a tray of eggs last year cost $1000, now the eggs cost $1300/1600 and sells in different grades…” Taking the lowest grade/price and that is 30% up. Ms. Sharon Ogle, domestic: “before the cost for a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1700; now the rice cost $2500,” which is just under 50% more. One more. Ms. Sumintra Persaud, pensioner: “a couple months ago, a pound of pluck chicken cost $500 wholesale; now a pound of chicken cost $700.” That’s 40% more and not anywhere close to 3.8%. These price increases for essential food items are stark, and relay a hard, bitter story. Of what Guyanese can’t have, must do without.
I left out Coke, cooking gas, cooking oil, and garlic. My reasoning is that those don’t qualify for basic food items or essential ones. Coke is a luxury. Cooking gas can be replaced by firewood. Cooking oil subbed by raw animal fat as lubricant (grease for the pot). Garlic is nice to have but can’t be afforded. I admit that I agitated some people and that’s to my regret, complete horror. But I am trying to help them economize so as to survive. Now, I return to President Ali.
He is right that the PPP Government has done some things to address the cost-of-living agonies of ordinary Guyanese. Humbly, he is dead wrong if he ever harbours the conviction that his government has done enough. Not close enough, Mr. President. Not remotely close, sir. I don’t know how the government arrives at 3.8% for its food inflation level. It could be month over month, quarter over quarter, or year over year. Whatever the methodology and convention used, 3.8% is not it. “Nah fuh de sufferin Guyanese peeple.” Whatever the basket of food goods, the stats men and women checking the wrong items at the wrong places at the wrong times and get the worst results. Frankly, anyone in any location insisting food inflation is at 3.8% should see a psychiatrist. Or belongs in solitary. It is not right; it inflicts another insult on the psyche of already badly injured Guyanese. If food inflation was 3.8%, then SN’s cost of living series would have been a dud and died at part 7 with no hope of ever reaching part 27, let alone part 87. When the reality of weekly prices in different Guyanese communities visited by SN is publicized, it tells of the great disconnect between official food inflation prices and real food prices by real people under real cost of living pressures. At a minimal 3.8% for food inflation, I would not be honest nor reasonable in writing about food inflation anguish as often as I do. There wouldn’t be basis, justification.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
