Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the area of ‘D’ Field, Sophia in Georgetown about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Leotha Matterson
Leotha Matterson, a 52-year-old cleaner: `Right now, my big son and I are working and the other son can’t get a job now because he is illiterate. We are receiving the minimum wage, and we try to get money for our passage to travel to work and to buy things to eat. We have to find ways to go about our work so it won’t look like we are punishing or so; we have to try… Just the three of us live together. I have two more children in the United States but I can’t depend on them for anything. I didn’t pay the water bill in a long time; that’s another story…Then there is the light and internet bill we have been paying. My son and I join our money together to pay the bills and buy grocery items. For example, a couple months back, a pound of beef cost $900; now beef cost $700/$600 and something. Also, a couple months back a Golden Cream Margarine butter cost $600 and something; now the butter cost $800. Only Christmas time I know the cost for beef goes up. Even the cost for chicken gone up. We need to have price control on items.’
Shandel Atkins
Shandel Atkins: `The cost of living is affecting my family and I a lot; financially it is affecting us and things are increasing a lot. Any place you go to purchase items, the prices have gone up. I’m a family of four, including, my husband and two children. I work full-time as a technician while my husband works as a construction worker part-time to help with the cost of living. For example, a few months back, a 10-kg bag Karibee rice cost $1,300/$1400; now the rice cost $2,000 and something. Also, a few months ago, a pound of sugar cost $100; now the sugar cost $200 and something. Someone in authority should place price control on items so it can be reduced.’
Roberta DeJounge
Roberta DeJounge, a 55-year-old single mother: `The cost of living is a bit tough on me but I’m still trying. It is hard on me because money is not there to help support the kids to go to school and sometimes you. It is hard to get jobs. I do a part-time work with the government while my two daughters work to provide for us including, my two grand kids. My daughters and I budget to pay the bill; we try with the cost of living. For example, a couple months back a big tin Klim milk cost close to $3,000; now the milk cost almost $4,000. Also, a couple months back, a medium pack Natura milk cost $560 and something; now the milk cost $700. Things that grow right in Guyana not supposed to be so expensive. Things like kidney beans are now expensive, before it wasn’t; people just exploiting you.’
Evelyn Felix
Evelyn Felix, a pensioner: `The cost of living is bad. The prices for all items are very high for my family and I. I’m a family of eight, including my cousin, two sons, two daughters and two granddaughters. Only one of my sons and one of my daughters work to provide for us. I receive my pension which I used to pay the bills. Instead of the prices going down it is going up, so I want know what happen to the oil money? Why we have to face this? The beggars on the street don’t have any shelters, they need to be fed…All of this aches my heart because we are living in Guyana and not treated as Guyanese. The $100,000 we are supposing to collect in January, I hear the foreigners getting the money. We haven’t put the vagrants in a proper place but why should we give the foreigners the money? The cost of living is high, for example, a couple months back, a medium size Nescafé coffee cost $800; now the coffee cost $1000 and something. Also, a couple months back, a big pack Fernleaf cost $600 and something; now the milk cost $1000. The government should check in with the shop owners to see why the prices are so high.’
Nazeema Ramman
Nazeema Ramman, a 26-year-old housewife said: `The cost of living is high because whenever I go to the shop, I find that the cost for items has gone up. My partner is the only one working to provide for us. I’m a family of four, including, my two children. For example, 2 weeks ago, a 10-kg bag rice cost $2700/$2800; now the rice cost $3,400/$3,500. Also, a couple months ago, a pound of sugar cost $80/$100; now the sugar cost $260/$288. If we can’t buy a certain item this week, I will buy it the other week; we just have to cope with the cost of living.’
Dian Sukdeo
Dian Sukdeo said: `The cost of living is affecting me when I have to buy certain items because the cost for the items is expensive at the shops/supermarkets. I try to cope with the cost of living. My partner and I live together and I have a baby on the way, I also have two boys who do not live with me. My partner is the only one working to provide for the us whilst paying the rent. It can be difficult at times when buying food items because the cost of the items is high. For example, a couple months back, a pound of chicken cost $760/$780 at some places; now a pound of chicken cost $600. Also, a few months ago, a 3-litre bottle oil cost $1,800; now the oil cost $2,200. The shop owners should reduce the cost for items.’
Michael Edward
Michael Edward, a driver/mechanic: `I live with my mother. Most of the times I live alone because she travels a lot for medical reasons. I’m working but when I go to certain shops or supermarkets, the prices for food items are high. When I go to the shop and buy items and then return another day, the prices increase. I’m paid monthly and I try to budget to cope with the cost of living. For example, before a whole chicken cost $1,500; now the chicken cost $3,000. Before a half Gilbaker fish cost $600 and something; now a half Gilbaker fish cost $4,000. We have to hustle and try with the cost of living.’
Philbert Josiah
Philbert Josiah: `I’m barely making it by God grace. The cost of living is affecting me a lot because my son is the only one working but he has his own family to take care of. My daughter is studying, my wife is not working and I receive public assistance from the government. I used most of the money to pay the utility bills and I barely get $4000 to buy grocery items. My son tries to help us sometimes. My wife does more of the planting because I can’t see good. She has some fruits trees she planted to help cope with the cost of living. The cost for items is high in the market. For example, before a pack of Thunderbolt flour cost $200 and something; now the flour cost $400 a pack. Also, a couple months ago, a pound of sugar cost $100 and something; now a pound of sugar cost $200 and something. The government need to pay people more because the money people working for cannot help us with the cost of living.’
Jeanie Higgns
Jeanie Higgns, a 59-year-old Constable: `The cost of living is affecting me because the cost for everything is going up but the salary is not going up. My daughter lives with me. I can afford to build on my land now but the cost of living is hard for us. Both my daughter and I work. She has a child she supports while I take care of the utility bills and other expenses. I can’t do anything about this high cost of living; I just have to cope with it. For example, a couple months ago, a 10kg Karibee rice cost $2,000; now the rice cost $2,500/$2,400. Also, a couple months back a pound of onions cost $140 at the shop; now a pound of onions cost $200/$280’.
Sheanda Cort
Sheanda Cort, a 19-year-old: `Sometimes my partner and I don’t really get money to buy items so we will have to stay without. I’m a family of three, including my baby. My partner is the only one working to provide for us. The cost for items is expensive; next year the price will go up more. For example, a couple months back, a small pack liner cost $300 and something; now the small pack liner cost about $440. Also, a couple months back, a normal size bottle of water cost $100; now the water cost $140. I don’t know what could be done about the cost of living; I just have to cope with it.’
