Part 108
Interviews and photos by Subhana Shiwmangal
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in the area of Blankenburg on the West Coast of Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Judy Harvey
Judy Harvey, a 40-year-old part-time domestic worker: `When I’m going to buy grocery items, I find the cost for everything gone up in the market. It is hard for my family of five, including my three boys and husband because I have to pay the taxi about $8,500 a month to take my children to school and back home. One of my sons writing CXC soon so in addition to the taxi carry him to school, the taxi has to carry him to lesson and bring him home. The cost of living is hard on us. My husband works as a construction worker sometimes and I work as a part-time domestic worker to cope with the cost of living. The cost for greens and other grocery items has gone up at the market. For example, a couple months back, a 10-kg Karibee rice cost $1,800; now the rice cost $2,700. Also, before a pound of ochro cost $260; now a pound of ochro cost $500. The government should do something more about the high cost of living.’