Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice in Region Six about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Shelly Agustus, a 27-year-old housewife said: “The cost for items is expensive at the shops. I have three children going to school. My husband does construction work to take care of us. My husband receives his wages every fortnight and I try to budget in order to get money to send my children to school. It has a shop nearby where my husband and I credit food items and when he gets paid, we pay the bill. For example, a couple months ago, a chicken cost $2,000; now the same chicken cost $2,200. Also, a couple month back, a 10kg Karibee rice cost $2,200; now the rice cost $2,400. I’m glad if I can get the 10-day government part-time work which will help me support my children more.”
Devindra Hamraj, a 38-year-old barber said: “The cost of living is tight for me and family because the cost for everything gone sky-high. I’m a family of six, inclusive of my mother, brother, two niece, son and aunty. My mother sells at the market, my brother works and I cut hair for a living. The three of us try to budget ourselves to buy grocery items and pay the utility bills. My brother brings in a monthly salary, my mother and I bring in a weekly wage also. The cost for rice, flour and so gone up. For example, a couple months back, a 45kg Karibee rice cost $6,000/$7000; now the rice cost $9,000. Also, a couple months back, a pint of split peas cost $160 at the shops/market; now the peas about $300 a pint. The government should see something to help us with the high cost of living because the cost for food items getting really tough now.”
Vanesa Ramcharran, a 30-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is pretty high because for one person to be working alone in the house, it is really hard. My husband and I live alone. I have a baby on the way. I’m not working; I’m a housewife. At least two people from the home have to work now to pay the bills because my husband and I are renting here; he works at the estate to provide for us. The cost of living is really high when buying grocery items. The utility bills are not that high, just the grocery bill is. Sometimes, when I go to the market and see the prices for greens and so, I don’t want to buy it; I prefer to buy chicken. Sometimes when I look at the fish prices, I can’t even afford to buy fish because the prices are high. The estate work my husband does, is not a stable work because the money my husband receives fluctuates. He gets an imbalance pay cheque. We just have to work with the pay cheque my husband receives to cope with the cost of living. We just have to budget ourselves. For example, last year a pound of sugar cost like $100; now the sugar cost like $400 for 2 pounds. Also, before a 10kg Karibee rice cost $1,200/$1,300; now the rice cost $2,500 at any shop/market. And Guyana produces rice and sugar. I think the President should look into the cost-of-living budget. I think that is what the people want because people are working and their salary/wages is not increasing but the prices of the items you purchase from the supermarket, store; anywhere you go, is going up. When I buy three or four items from the supermarket, the money finishes. “
Ganeshawattie Cameraj, 57-year-old vendor said: “The cost of living is high but my family and I are still trying with it. I’m a family of seven, including my daughter, her son, my son and his three kids who go to school. My son gets one and two days carpenter work. My daughter works part-time and I sell mainly mangoes and other fruits in the Port Mourant market. We all pool our money together to pay the high utility bills and rent expenses. Then we have to buy grocery items. Sometimes I make money, sometimes I don’t; some of the items end up wasting because sometimes I don’t get sales. I buy and sell fruits sometimes. Sometimes the cost for food items fluctuates. Right now, some of the cost for grocery items is high. For example, before, a gallon rice cost $800; now the rice cost $1,000 a gallon. Also, a couple months back, a 10lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $3,500; now the gas cost $4,000. Even the cost for a bottle oil now expensive. I think the government should do something to reduce the cost for items.”
Rajpaul Pooran, a 61-year-old jeweller said: “I’m selling in the Port Mourant market and I’m not making anything much from the jewels I sell and from some food items like, salt fish and chutney I sell. I work hard and I don’t receive much money to pay the utility bills and buy grocery items. I try to save whatever money I made for the day to pay the bills. My wife and I live alone. I’m the sole provider for the home. People’s salary is not increasing, so people do not have enough money to buy food items from the markets. Some people when they come to buy something from the market, they watch and then they gone. Every day I have to pay $220 stand fee and nothing really is selling and when the month comes, I have to pay the utility bills. I try to sell a little salt fish and chutney to pay the bills at the end of the month. For example, a couple months back, a pound of potatoes cost $100; now the potatoes cost $200. Also, a couple months back, a pound of sugar cost $100; now the sugar cost $200. The government should do something better to help people with the high cost of living.”
Bhanmattie Baljit, a 61-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is high when it comes to buying food items. My husband and I live alone. He receives pension and that is used to pay the utility bills, and buy food items. We cope with the cost of living by looking for the cheapest items to buy. For example, before a one litre bottle coconut oil cost $980/$1000/$1,200; now, the same oil cost $1,500. And, before, a 10lbs cooking gas cost $4,000; now the gas cost $5,000. I don’t take on the cost of living because whatever money I received from my husband, I use it and buy things to cook.”
Shalenie Isaac, a 48-year-old chips vendor said: “The cost of living is affecting me a lot because the money I work for is not enough to buy items. By the time I spend it, it finished. I cope with it by selling chips, nuts, fudges and other things in front of my home while my daughter and husband work to help pay the utility bills, and buy grocery items. The cost of living is high because we are not getting any money to save. When we finished paying bills every two weeks, another bill come soon after. Things are still hard; even the cost for the things sold at the shops/markets/supermarkets is expensive. For example, a couple months back, a 5-gallon bottle oil cost $7,000 and something; now the oil cost $8,000 and something. Also, a couple months back, a 2lbs flour cost $260; now same flour cost $300. The cost for vegetables gone up, such as: the bora and boulanger. The cost for food items needs to be reduced more in the markets/shops so people can afford to buy food items.”
Mahadeo Kowlessar, a 49-year-old labourer said: “The cost for items at the markets/shops is high. $20,000 can barely do to buy grocery for the week. I try to buy things I need in order to cut down on cost so the grocery items can do for my wife and I throughout the week. I work with the government part-time and do carpentry part-time to cope with the cost of living. For example, a 10kg Karibee rice a couple months back cost $2,200; now the rice cost $4,000. Also, before, a 3-litre bottle cooking oil cost $2,200; now the oil cost $3,600. If the cost for food items reduced, it will be better for us, the people, when buying food items.”
Dharmesh Ganpat, a 31-year-old construction worker said: “The cost for items is expensive at the shop. I’m a family of six, including my three brothers, aunty and nephew. My aunty, two brothers and I work and co-operate to pay the utility bills whilst buying grocery items. The cost for everything has gone up at the shop/market. For example, a couple months back, a 1-litre drink cost $340; now the drinks cost $400. Before, a 10lbs cylinder cooking gas cost $4060; now the gas cost $5,000. I would like the government to give us, the people, some sort of money every month to help us with the cost of living.”
Samantha Jagdat, a 37-year-old said: “The cost for items is very expensive because before a 10kg bag Karibee rice cost $1,300; now the rice cost $2,500. The cost for everything gone up. My daughter and I live together. I receive public assistance because I have a disability while my daughter goes to school. My partner supports us by paying the utility bills and buying grocery items. For example, a couple months back, a medium bottle oil cost $800; now the oil cost $1,500/$1,800. The government need to reduce the cost for food items.”
