How the Cost of Living is
Part 64
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Triumph, East Coast Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Nina Anderson
Nina Anderson, a 53-year-old business woman said: “The cost of living is affecting my family and I a lot because every day you go on the road, there is no price control on food items. Everyday there is a new price on food items. Also, the cost on basic things are not reducing; like the electricity and internet. Another thing is that the government is giving the Asian market more preference than the Guyanese market. The price for a lot of food item has increased in the market. For example, the cost for a 10kg bag of Karibee rice a couple months back cost $2,000; now the same bag of rice cost $2,200. Cooking gas before cost $4,400; now the cost for a cylinder of cooking gas is $4,800. I’m a family of three, including my mother and my sister. My sister and I run a shop to maintain the three of us. Even the income we receive from the daily sales is not enough to maintain us. We would have to rely on help from family overseas every month. My mother is a pensioner and she is disabled, so we also get a little help from the government on the water bill. The government should be able to pay people so they can be able to offset their financial situation. Look at the basic teachers, they are fighting for a raise of pay and the government shunning them and threatening them to dismiss them…There is also a problem with the drainage system here that needs to be addressed by the relevant authority.”
John Dornellas said: “Things are very expensive now, especially the cost for cooking gas and grocery items have increased. The money people getting, we can hardly survive on it. The monthly pension my wife and I receive cannot do to support my family of nine including my five grandchildren. My son-in-law and daughter work but still when my wife and I are finished paying the utility bills, the money left could barely cover the cost for food. The cost for everything is rising in the market, nothing is not going down. A few months ago, the cost for a 20 lb cylinder cooking gas was $4,500, now the cooking gas cost $5,000. Grocery item like a big bag Karibee rice a couple months back cost $7,000; now the rice cost $10,000. Every time I go to shop the prices fluctuates. I think the cost for rice will increase more because rice farmers are encountering difficulties in growing the rice. The cost for pesticides to spray the rice has risen and the rice millers are giving the rice farmers next to nothing for the rice paddy. The government should reach out to poor people and help them with the rising cost of living. Also, people’s salary and pensioners’ monthly stipend need to increase.”
Liloutie Parasram
Liloutie Parasram, a pensioner said: “My husband and I live alone and we try to cope with the rising cost of living. I receive pension while my husband works so the cost of living do not bother us. The cost of living is high but we plant our own vegetables so we don’t have to purchase vegetables from the market. We only purchase one and two grocery items, if we really need it since my daughter would usually give us some grocery items from her shop or we buy from her, if necessary. Sometimes, the cost for some items have increase in the market but we try to cope with the cost of living. For example, the cost for three big Catfish before was $500; now the same Catfish cost $1,000 for a while now. The cost for a 20-pounds cylinder cooking gas a couple months ago when I wasn’t purchasing gas as yet was $4,500; now the cooking gas cost $4,800. I think we should try to cope with the rising cost of living.”
Ashantie Schultz
Ashantie Schultz, a 21-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is kind of hard for me. I’m a family of three, including my common-law husband and my toddler and my husband’s income is not sufficient to buy everything for the home and pay rent at the same time. We try to budget to buy items we need to cope with the rising cost of living. The cost for grocery items has increased in the market and the quality for some of the items sold, like potatoes sometimes have rotten ones between the ones I purchase. For example, a pound of onions a couple months ago cost $100 and something; now a pound of onions cost $260. Also, about some time back a slice of pumpkin cost $200 and something; now a slice of pumpkin cost $500. Well, the cost for some vegetables has reduce in the market. Even the cost for a big cylinder cooking gas has gone up now. The cost for cooking gas a couple months back was $4,300; now the gas cost $4,500. I know the struggles farmers face in producing their crops but if they can reduce their prices a little on food items that will be a good thing for people.”
Vineata Ramshoye
Vineata Ramshoye, a 48-year-old housewife said: “The cost of living is very high right now because when I go to the market now with $15,000 to buy vegetables, the money finishes quickly. Then I have to buy other grocery items and pay utility bills; that comes close to a total of $60,000 a month. I’m a family of seven and only my husband and two sons are working to provide for the home. My father receives his monthly pension and we would rely on his support if needed to help with the cost of living. To me the cost for grocery is expensive now. The cost for a bag of rice is expensive now. A bag of rice a couple months back cost $2,100; now a bag of rice cost $2,400. A 2-lbs packet of Thunderbolt flour before cost $400; now the flour cost $600. Also, a pound of butter a couple months back cost $400 and something; now the butter cost $600. I
Chitrekha Wi
Chitrekha Williams said: “T affecting me very bad becau cery has gone up in the mark my husband work for, I use i and to cover the cost to run really get much money to sa four, including my son and a also do part-time work but the moment. I’ve found that vegetables have reduce in the for other grocery items have market. For example, the m Empire Fortified Sunflower back cost $1,800; now the slice of pumpkin before cost pumpkin cost $400. The g increase people’s salary sinc has increase a lot and also i value. Even the taxi fare to Martyrsville nursery school e
Jenny Jagm
Jenny Jagmohan said: “The affecting me a lot because the is working for is almost $80, ish paying the water, electrici then buy some groceries, the family of three including my quit his school to work in ord home. Well, the cost for som reduced in the market while
recently bought to use in my line of work is expensive. A couple month ago, the saw cost $13,000; now the saw cost about $27,000 and something. I think the government should do something about the rising cost of living.”