Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Supply, East Bank Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Christopher Pickering
Christopher Pickering, a 39-year-old driver said: “The cost of living is a bit tough on me but, what are you going to do about it? I can’t do anything about it, I just have to go out and work. Honestly speaking, I can’t say when last I save. I drive bus for a living and when I don’t get work I do other part-time work to cover my expenses. I live alone and I have five kids who doesn’t live with me that I support. I’m just working to survive. Although I have assets, I can’t afford to save $1,000. As I make the money, it just goes towards paying the bills and for me to survive. The cost for food has gone up in the markets. I’m not blaming the politician or anybody for the high cost of living because they have to look after themselves. The cost of living right now is in a bad state. I remember years ago at my first job, I used to work for $800 per day and every weekend I used to go out and could have afforded to buy new outfits and sneakers. Presently, my income per day is $20,000 and I can’t do any of those things. I hardly cook, I usually buy food on the road to eat because of my job and the food is very costly. For example, a couple months back a breakfast which includes a puri, chicken curry and a juice cost $600; now it cost $1,000. Also, a couple months back a baby coke cost $140; now the coke cost $260. I think price control should be placed on food items because the cost for identical items when purchased at different places has different prices.”
Chandra Ganesha
Chandra Ganesha, a pensioner said: “The cost of living is affecting my husband and I a lot because we as pensioners, the money we are receiving every month is not enough to help us do repairs to our home, cover the bills and buy grocery items. I don’t have to pay for water, the government sponsor that for us but still, many days my husband and I don’t get water. Even the electricity is a problem; I don’t use any fan, microwave or anything but the electricity bill comes high. We pay for it but sometimes we get power outages 2 or 5 times a day. The cost for all items has gone up in the markets. For example, a couple months back a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1,900; now the rice cost $2,200/$2,300. Also, a couple months back, cooking gas cost $4,000/$4,200; now the gas cost $4,700. I think the government should visit the supermarkets, markets and shops and place a fixed price on food items.”
Trenton Lacruz
Trenton Lacruz said: “The cost of living is affecting me because I’m visual impaired and I don’t work. Twenty-one years now I’m not working and the cost of living is hard on me and my partner. I do get public assistance and help from my son to buy grocery items and look after myself while my partner who is sickly also get financial support from her son as well. Things is still hard on us because the cost for food items gone up in the markets. Together we both use our money to buy grocery items and pay the electricity. We draw water from our niece who lives further in front and it’s difficult to get water.
Based on the nature of the property, we did not get through when applying for water. For example, a couple months back cooking gas cost $4,200; now the gas cost $5,000. Also, a few months ago, 3-litre bottle cooking oil cost $1,200; now the oil cost $1,495. The cost for fish is cheaper now; like snapper and Gilbaker gone down. We just have to cope with the high cost of living.”
Brenda Pritchard
Brenda Pritchard, a 57-year-old housewife said: “I can’t really say how the cost of living is affecting me because the cost for everything gone up. Last Tuesday I bought couple items at the nearby supermarket and to my surprise the prices have gone up. My husband is the sole breadwinner for the home and as a fisherman he comes in with fish sometimes while sometimes he doesn’t. This sometimes is hard on me because I’m suffering from a series of sickness including diabetes and I have to get money to visit a private doctor when the machine malfunction at the Georgetown Public Hospital. I have a son who usually support me whenever he gets money while fishing but still, not always he catches fish to support us. He works with his father. For instance, before a 22-lbs bag sugar cost $4,000 and something; now the sugar cost $7,000. And, before a 3-litre bottle cooking oil cost $1,100; now the oil cost $1,500/$1,400. We just have to cope with the cost of living.”
Paul Pritchard
Paul Pritchard, a 58-year-old fisherman said: “The cost of living is very high and it is affecting everybody. It is affecting me in relation to finance and water. I don’t have a transport for the land I’m occupying so I did not get through with the connection of water. I’m a fisherman that works at sea and sometimes I catch fish and sometimes I don’t, so the little that I get, I have to content with it. I still have my electricity bill and other expenses such as grocery items to cover. The cost for all items has gone up in the market/supermarkets. The cost for fish is down but the cost for fuel is up. For example, a couple months back a 40 lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $4,200/$4000; now the cooking gas cost $4,700. A few months ago, a small 10 kg Karibee rice cost $1,900; now the rice cost $2,200/$2,300. We just have to cope with the cost of living because anywhere you turn the cost has increase for items.”
Joy Pickering
Joy Pickering, a 40-year-old single mother said: “As a single parent of four kids the cost of living is not like before, it has gotten worst. We have the revenues from oil in Guyana, we are not supposed to punish like this. Right now, it has a lot of people migrating because according to my daughter, when you successfully complete your secondary education, you are not getting payable jobs. Parents sacrifice so much for their children. They are not suppose to migrate to go to any other country to seek jobs. We suppose to get them right in this country. I try to do a little hustle to provide for my children because the cost of living is high. I try to budget to make things work. For example, a few months ago a pound of sugar cost $80/$60; now the sugar cost $400/$500. And, before a big pack Natura milk cost $500; now the milk cost $1,200. The value of our money needs to go up to help with the high cost of living.”
Peter Alexander
Peter Alexander, a construction worker said: “The cost of living is affecting me terrible because the money is not circulating in the country. My daughter lives with me. Both of us work and pooled our resources together to provide for the home and pay the utility bills and, still this doesn’t reach at times. Most Guyanese will say how the cost of living is high. It is really hard to cope with the cost of living because the money is not circulating but the cost for items is increasing in the markets/shops. Even the construction work I do, customer has money to pay for the materials but not to pay me because when they finished buying materials, they run out of money due to the high cost of the materials and I have to wait to receive my payments. For example, a couple months back, a sack of cement cost $1,500/$1,800; now the cement cost $1,900. Also, before a half inch steel cost over $1,000; now the same steel cost over $1,400. I think the government should not only provide house grants to the people but reduce the tax on food items as well.”
Allroy Melvil
Allroy Melvil, a 44-year-old carpenter/mason said: “I’m punishing a lot with this high cost of living; my friends and I recently put together our resources and made soup. The cost of living is high. A neighbour gave us some chicken foot. We went in search for some eddoes and we thief some water from the neighbour because our water supply cut off here, even though we pay for water. We have to do what we have to do to stay alive. About three weeks now, our water flow is on and off. Sometimes I can’t even bathe. The shop owner stop crediting my friends and I. I do carpentry and construction work to provide for my family of four, including my wife and two children. For example, a couple months back a 10 kg Karibee rice cost $2,300; now the rice cost $2,900. Also, a couple months ago a 10 lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $4,200; now the gas cost $4,900. We just have to cope with the cost of living.”
Aubrey Marks
Aubrey Marks said: “The salaries cannot pay. I’m an engineer at a well-known organization and my salary can’t even pay the bills properly. I have to do outside work to help offset my expenses. My basic salary can’t pay anything. I temporarily live with my mother, brother and sister. $120,000 per months can’t do to support people because if you have to rent and buy groceries that could be hard, especially if you want to buy something for yourself; that can’t do. I use to pay rent and I can say that the money can’t do, especially if you have other car expenses. For example, simple things like milk and chicken gone up. You can go now and buy these items for a cost but when you returned to the shop/market a month later, the cost increases. A couple months back a pound of chicken cost $460; now the chicken cost $500 and something. The government should consider reducing income tax, eliminate VAT on items, control the market prices and raise people’s salary.”
Isaiah Knox
Isaiah Knox, a 19-year-old student/customer service representative said: “The cost of living is definitely high because looking at the cost of goods when I first arrive in Guyana to live, I could have picked up a good amount of stuff compared to now, where the cost of goods is expensive. It puts me in a difficult spot because I’m currently doing my degree at the University of Guyana and I have to pay my fees and things. In order to do that, I have to work twice as hard than before to get my money to pay my fees. The cost of these goods and service is not helping me out; the cost keeps going up. For example, the cost for snacks that I purchase daily gone up. A couple months back a pack of Classic Select cost $160; now the snack cost $180. Also, a few months ago a tin of mixed vegetables cost $200 and something; now the tin cost $300 and something. I think the government should consider increasing people’s salary.”
