How the Cost of Livin
Stabroek News spoke to members of the public in Bareroot, East Coast Demerara about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting them. The following are their comments:
Cordell James
Cordell James, a 47-year-old single parent said: “Foreigners [get paid] ten times more than what they paying Guyanese. I have witness this at ExxonMobil. Guyanese who are qualified are not being paid like how the foreigners are being paid…The cost of living is hard because the light bill alone does kill you. Water rate them ah beat you like a eel. What we gon do? Cost of living isn’t making no difference in this country, no matter how right you right. The cost of living is hard. It is hard to get a permanent job in this country. If you do get a job in this country, your salary might reach $80,000/$90,000. Most work I see available is arm guard and security work. As a certified electrician/refrigeration technician, you have to know people to get certain work; if you don’t know people, you can’t get the work. Right now, I’m out of work but whatever little refrigeration work I get about the place, I take it. I’m a single father of five children now, and I stand the cost for most of my bill. Two of my children work and the others go to school but they have expense on their own to take care of. I don’t bother them for money, whatever they contribute to the home, I accept. I try to cope with the cost of living by stretching certain food items, for example the rice. I try to content with whatever I have; I taught my children that too. Whatever refrigeration work I get for the week, I try to make sure my bills are paid, I always have food in the home and my children are taken care of. Things are not easy; it is hard to know that we [the country] so wealthy and we living so poor. Actually, the cost for everything gone up now in this country. Just before the APNU came out of power, I used to buy a roll of mesh for $6,000; now a roll of mesh cost $16,000/$18,000. That’s to show how the prices have double or triple from then to now. When I used to buy six boulanger for $200; now I’m buying two boulanger for $200. Even the cost for sugar gone up. A pound of sugar a couple months back cost $60/$30; now a pound of sugar cost $200. The cost for chicken, among other things has gone up in the market. Clothes cheaper than food now. The Chinese’s selling clothes cheaper now. The government should consider one thing: if the minibus fare raises, gas price raise; everything gone up. I don’t know if the government is not doing their job but it doesn’t make sense in this country with the current high prices. For instance, when a 10% is given on salary, the cost for food prices, among other things, increase more in the markets because there is no price control. I think the government can increase people’s salary, give duty on one and two items but place a control price on items to help with the cost of living. Another thing is, people hardly getting water here because the water pressure is low most of the times, and the water stops coming sometimes. Then GWI cutting off the water when the bill is not paid. All these things the government should look into.”
Toya Thompson
Toya Thompson, a 34-year-old housewife said: “I’m trying to cope with the rising cost of living. I’m living with my spouse and three children. When my husband receives his salary every fortnight, I would go to the shop to purchase grocery items. Every time I go to the shop, the cost for items always increasing; the prices differ every time I go to the shop. For example, I used to buy salt fish before for $300/$600; now the salt fish cost $1,000. I used to buy a 3-litre bottle oil before for $1,200; now I’m buying the oil for $1,700. I think sugar is scarce now because the cost has increase at the shops. A pound of sugar before cost about $100; now a pound of sugar cost about $280/260 and some of the shops want $360 for a pound of sugar. Well, some of them shops do exploit you. There is too much taxes on food item. The government should reduce taxes on food items to help people with the rising cost of living.”
Devon Joseph
Devon Joseph, a 24-year-old construction worker said: “The cost of living is hard because it adds more pressure to my family but we try to cope with it. The cost of living right now is very high. I live with my brother and sister, and together we contribute toward the home with whatever income we have to pay our utility bills and then buy food items for the home. The prices for food items have increase in the markets/shops. For example, vegetables, whoever planting to sell back will have a different price for their vegetables compare to those people who’s buying to sell back. So, the prices vary. A couple months back, a pound of plantains cost about $100 and something; now a pound of plantains cost $260. Before a one litre bottle of oil cost $400; now the oil cost $600 at the shop. The cost for everything has increase. The government have to make a change; the government should change their system in the way things are manage in the country because things are not going nice for us right now. The government should consider reducing certain food items to help people with these high prices. Another thing the government taking too long to have the roads in here done and we, the residents of Bareroot are experiencing constant black outs.”