Stabroek News spoke to Toshaos from various villages in the hinterland about the cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Monty Simon of Kabakaburi, Region Two: `The cost of living has been affecting us negatively, especially in the construction area. The materials are very costly and most of it you have to get from the coast. For example, persons on the coast when purchasing sand and stones, the cost won’t be so much because they will have it delivered directly to the work site located on the coast. But in our case now, we have to get a boat and transportation to transport these things to our village; we have to pay more for the building materials plus an additional cost for transportation to get the materials into the village. This has not only been happening in region Two but throughout the country. And, it’s something that we have to cope with until building materials are subsidized by the government to assist with the high cost, especially when the villages get these small government projects or for the government to put systems in place for the people in the hinterland area and the riverine communities. The cost for food items is not that high in the village. The cost varies because some items would cost more in the village but the prices are reasonable compared to how food items are sold for on the coastal area. For example, the cost for sugar has increased in the village but the price is high on the coast. A couple months back a sack of cement cost about $1600/$1800; now the cement cost over $2,000 per sack. Also, about a year ago one foot zinc cost about $200; now a foot zinc cost over $300.’