Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Lamaha Park, Georgetown about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Collin Jacobs
Collin Jacobs, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I daily because when we go in the market to buy grocery items, we are seeing that the cost for food items has increased. To me it depends on where you purchase the items from as well. For example, at Water Street I recently bought 6 oranges for $500 and the vendor was kind enough to give me an extra one but at Bourda market, the vendors are selling 3 oranges for $500 now; a couple months back the oranges were more expensive. The cost for other grocery items has gone up in the markets/shops. For example, a few months ago, 10 lbs sugar cost $1,200; now the sugar cost $1,400. Also, a small pack Natura milk a couple months back cost $200 and something; now the milk cost $400. My wife and I are pensioners and we try to budget our money to pay the utility bills, buy grocery items and help support one of our daughters that lives with us; we try to make ends meet by coping with the cost of living. We try to support our grandchildren as well. I believe the government can reduce the cost for a lot of food items to help people with the rising cost of living.”
Travis Smith
Travis Smith said: “Well, right now my family and I are trying to deal with the cost of living as much as possible because the cost of living is going up every day. The little money my family and I work for can’t do to support us and pay the bills at the same time. You just have to stretch the money to do for the next day so we can survive on a daily basis. I sell newspapers and do weeding work to help support my family of five, including my two nieces, nephew and father. My nieces and nephew work while my father is a pensioner and he runs a shop. Together, we all pool our resources to pay the utility bills and buy grocery items. We try to manage. For example, a few months ago, a 10 lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $4,300/$4,500; now the gas cost $4,700. Also, a couple months back a pound of sugar cost $100; now the sugar cost $200. I don’t know what the government can do about the rising cost of living because if the government place price control on items, there will be shortage on certain food items and the cost will go up more. I suggest we cope with the cost of living.”
Richard Windel
Richard Windel said: “All you got to do is keep trying all the time because the cost of living is hard. Every time I go in the market to buy something, the cost for items going up. When money is added onto my salary, it like you are still at square one. You just have to see if you can get a side job to help with the cost of living. Both my wife and I work to cover the expenses whilst paying other expenses. For example, a couple months back a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $2,300; now the rice cost $2,500. Also, a few months back, a 3-litre bottle oil cost $1,500/$1,800; now the oil cost $2,700. Even the light bill sometimes comes high because when you think you paid for the month already, another bill will come the other month telling you, you owe more money on the second bill compared to the first. There is no control over the prices business people and vendors sell their produce for because the VAT is what makes them increase their prices for the commodity. I think we just have to cope with the cost of living.”
Yvonna Benjamin
Yvonna Benjamin, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is terrible because as a pensioner, I have rent to pay. Also, my husband and I can hardly survive. When the rent is high, if you not getting a government pension, it is difficult to cope with the high cost of living.
My husband is a pensioner as well but still if we were not getting the contribution from other relatives and friends, I don’t know what would have happen to us; the cost of living is terrible. The government should increase pensioners’ monthly stipend more to help with the high cost of living. It is really difficult for us to cope with this. For example, a couple months back a pound of beef cost $600/$700; now the beef cost nearly $1,000 a pound. Then there is chicken. Before a pound of chicken cost $300 and something; now a pound of chicken cost $400 and something.”
Geva Conway
Geva Conway, a pensioner said: “I’m a pensioner and I plant fruits and vegetables to cope with the cost of living. I plant everything in the yard. I came from a farming-oriented family. The cost for everything has gone up in the markets. For example, one week when a pound of sugar cost $200; the next week the sugar cost $300. What we are going to do? We have no choice but to buy the sugar. Also, a couple months back a medium cooking oil cost $700 and something; now the cooking oil cost $1,400. Both my husband and I are pensioners and we try to cope with the cost of living by using things from our garden. We, the people, need a little relief to help with the cost of living because we are not feeling the benefits from the revenue from the oil until 2027, according to Jagdeo. What happen in the meantime? The saying is, when the grass growing the horse starving. What I’m saying is that we need little money to help each household with the cost of living.”
Pragdail Vanbrook
Pragdail Vanbrook, a pensioner said: “Sometimes the cost of living is high but my husband and I try to cope with the cost of living by selling drinks and other items. I can’t sell bread now because the cost for bread is high. The cost of living is hard sometimes because we don’t get enough finance to buy grocery items we need. Both by husband and I combine our pension together to pay the expenses while buying food items. For example, a few months ago, a pound of potatoes cost $100; now a pound of potatoes cost $160. A couple months back a 400g Natura milk cost $460; now the milk cost $600 and something. The businessmen and vendors need to reduce the cost for food items. I know the tax is high, so I think the government should consider increasing people’s salary.”
John Davis
John Davis, a 54-year-old construction worker said: “The cost of living is affecting my family because the cost for everything just going up. I have to work every day to help provide for my three children and wife. Well, my children receive their salary at the end of the month but during the week I work every day, just to bring money in the home to feed us until my children receive their salary; I don’t get a day off. Well, once the cost for materials goes up, the cost for sand and so on that I use in the line of construction, goes up as well. For example, a couple months back a block cost $100; now the block cost $150. Also, a couple months back, a sack of TCL cement cost $1,600; now the cement cost $2,000. The cost for grocery items gone up as well; everything gone up. The government should increase people’s salary more to help people with the high cost of living.”
Kenneth Davis
Kenneth Davis, a construction worker said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because it seems like the government doesn’t have a plan. It’s like we are refugees and we have to grab on anything we get just to meet our needs. The money that people working for is not anything really because when you go into the supermarkets/markets the money is not enough. I wonder how people survive with $3,000/$4,000 a day; that is only breakfast. My son and I work and provide for the home and pay the bills. For example, a few months ago, a pound of sugar cost $100; now a pound of sugar cost $500. Also, a medium bottle oil a couple months back cost $1,800/$2,300 some places; now the oil cost $3,000. I think the government should plan certain programmes to facilitate the community and provide proper day jobs to people to help with the cost of living. Also, the government should increase production more since there is more import than export in the country. This is so because there are more private supermarkets than government supermarket now and people have to depend on the prices the private supermarkets constantly raise their food items at.”
Satrohan Singh
Satrohan Singh, a 41-year-old construction worker said: “The cost of living is really high. I’m a family of five, including my three children and wife. I’m the sole breadwinner for the home but my wife sometimes she does part time sewing work to provide for the home in order to help pay the utility bills. We have a kitchen garden so we pick fruits and vegetables to help feed us daily. Sometimes, we use from our savings when we do not have work. The cost of living is high. For example, a few months ago, a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1,800; now the rice cost $2,800. Also, before two boulanger cost $200/$300; now the boulanger cost $500 for 2. I think it is our local people that raises the prices for food items. The government should consider helping people with something every month.”
Timothy Norton
Timothy Norton, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting businesses because people can’t shop how they want to because they are not getting enough money to spend. I run a retail business to help provide for my home. I’m a family of four, which includes my two daughters and wife. The cost of living is high. For example, a couple months back, a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $2,000 wholesale; now the rice cost $2,600 wholesale. Also, a few months back a pound of eddoes cost $100; now the eddoes cost $200. The government need to subsidize people’s income. Also, the roads outside my shop needs doing, the government should look into this.”
