Stabroek News spoke to members of the public at Spring Garden, Essequibo Coast, Region Two and Mabaruma, Region One about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Reshana Larine
Reshana Larine, 19, of Spring Garden said: “The cost for items in the supermarkets are expensive. Myself and my two siblings that live with me work and pooled our money together to pay our rent, utility bills and buy grocery items. For example, a couple month ago a 10 kg bag Karibee rice cost $1,800; now the rice cost $2,300. Also, a couple months back a pound chicken cost $400; now the chicken cost $600. We are producing rice and sugar right here and the price for them are expensive. Even the quality for the sugar is poor. I think the government should drop the cost for food items.”
Joan Joseph, 64, a housewife of Spring Garden said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because my husband and I live together, the cost for all items is expensive and my husband is the sole breadwinner for us. The cost for cooking gas is expensive. Well, the cost is reasonable but the cost for electricity is expensive; the cost for everything gone up. My husband and I try to budget to buy items we need. For example, before a medium bottle oil cost $2,200; now the oil cost $2,500. And, a couple months back, a 10 kg bag rice cost $2200; now the rice cost $2,800. The government should look into ways to increase people’s salary and consider reducing the cost for food items.”
Rita Narayan
Rita Narayan, a pensioner of Spring Garden said: “The cost of living affects me a little because I receive my pension and my daughter works part time to help me buy grocery items and cover other expenses. And, my family and I have our own rice farm. So, we are trying to cope with the high-cost of living. Whatever we have, we try to use that to manage the cost of living because the cost for items is high. For example, before a 10 lb cylinder cooking gas cost $4,500; now the gas cost $4,800. A few months ago, a small Thunderbolt flour cost $200 and something; now the flour cost $300 and something. The cost for cooking oil gone up as well in the supermarket. I think the government should reduce the cost a little for food items.”
Eustace James
Eustace James, 65, a farmer of Spring Garden said: “The cost of living is very, very high. The cost of living is affecting me because my children are all grown up now and it’s just my wife and I living together. So now, we do farming on a small scale. We plant bitter cassava and we are planning to plant red beans now. We are not receiving any help from the government; not from anyone. We are running the farm using our own money and labour. When you talk about cost of living, it is so burdensome on us in the village of Wakapau, where we are originally from [but had to leave] because we are not finding jobs. Other places we are, but not in that village. Now when I work and work for a time and receive a little dollar, I have to use that little income I worked for and invest it into our farm, so we can plant before we get crops. We are not receiving any help from the government, for example, a small business loan. Everything hard. I am waiting until next year to see if I can get a loan from the small business bureau. The money I’m working for, my wife and I can’t buy items we need because the cost for certain items have gone up. We usually budget to cope with the cost of living and get brace from the proceeds from our farm. We don’t get market all the time. For example, before a pound of sugar cost $350; now the sugar cost $500. Also, a couple months back, a 1 litre bottle cooking oil cost $650 and something; now the oil cost $900. I will like some sort of help from the government toward this cost of living. If I get assistance with a grating machine to grate cassava that will solve part of my problem.”
Charengeet Bisnauth
Charengeet Bisnauth, 61, a vegetable farmer of Spring Garden said: “The cost of living is high and the cost for items have gone up in the markets. My wife, son and I work. I usually budget to pay the utility bills and buy groceries while my wife and son usually buy things for themselves, so I don’t have to worry about providing for them in that way. I plant bora and so forth and the cost for items to use in my line of work is expensive but I still try to cope with the cost of living. For example, a couple months ago a bag of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer cost $8,500; now the fertilizer cost $9,500. Also, a couple months ago a bottle pesticide cost $3,000; now the pesticide cost $4,500. The government has to do something to help us with this high cost of living.”
Jerald Eze
Jerald Eze, 20, a sales representative of Spring Garden said: “The cost of living is getting hard every day. When I went to the shops in my area, I was accustomed seeing some of the cost of the items at a certain price but like over the past three or four years, I saw prices for these items have increased. For example, before a bag of Bakewell tennis roll that contain six cost $180; now the tennis roll cost almost $300/$280 in some places with six in a bag. Also, before a 1 litre drink cost $220; now the drink cost $300/$320 at some places. Only my mother and I work to provide for us including my sister. We pooled our resources together by taking care of the most important stuff first, which is buying groceries for the home, and pay the utility bills; we try to budget with the salary we received. We find that we don’t get to save like before with the salary we receive. The cost for greens has increase drastically also, such as: tomatoes, bora and others. I can’t really say what could be done about this high cost of living because when the wholesalers, retailers or shop people increase their prices for commodity, these high prices tend to make other people, like the driver of a taxi, raise their fare also. So, I suggest the government look into the cost of living and see ways they can ease the stress from people.”
Melissa Hernandez
Melissa Hernandez, 30, a housewife of Spring Garden said: “The prices for all the groceries are expensive. I normally make sure I buy groceries enough for my family of five including my three children, despite the high prices. My husband is the sole breadwinner for us. We are trying to cope with the cost of living. For example, a couple months back, a pound of sugar cost $100; now the sugar cost $200 a pound. Also, a couple months back, a 2 kg pack Thunderbolt flour cost $260; now the flour cost $360. If we can’t afford to buy grocery items I need, I do without. We just have to cope with the cost of living.”
Donald Lynch
Donald Lynch, 22, a machine operator said: “The cost for grocery items is going up in the shops. The prices for food items are going up every day and as a machine operator, the salary is not increasing. I’m a family of three including my wife and son. As the sole breadwinner for my family, I try to do part-time work to provide for the home. For example, a couple months back, a pound of sugar cost $140/$160 some places; now a pound of sugar cost over $200. Well, the cost of greens is at a reasonable price here. A couple months back, a pound of flour cost about $140/$160; now the flour cost $200. The government should increase workers’ salary.”
Trevor Harden
Trevor Harden, 38, a miner of Mabaruma said: “The cost of living is high because the cost to send my two kids to school is very expensive. The cost for snack alone is expensive. The cost for a bottle water up here is costly. My salary is not enough to support my family of four, including my wife. For example, a medium bottle water in Georgetown cost about $100; up here the water cost $300. Also, before a 1 litre drink cost $200 up here; now the drink cost $500 up here. Even the cost for grocery items gone up; the cost for greens all gone up. I think it is the high weather that is causing the cost for greens to go up. Everyday things going up. Price control should be place on food items to help with the cost of living.”
