“People are still suffering although we have oil”

Dec 18, 2023 News

– Red Thread says single mothers being forced to sacrifice balanced diet to pay bills

Kaieteur News – As the Christmas season approaches, single mothers are dreading the reality of being unable to put meals on their tables for their children.

Red Thread women: (from right) Halima Khan and Joy Marcus during an ‘Oil Talk’ programme hosted by Charles Sugrim

Red Thread, a grassroots women organization during a recent radio programme ‘Oil Talk’ aired on 99.1/ 99.5 FM, expressed frustration over the citizenry being unable to benefit from the oil wealth discovered offshore Guyana.

To date, discoveries in the Stabroek Block amounting to more than 11 billion barrels of oil have been announced by US oil major, ExxonMobil. In fact, three Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels are currently in operation and is likely to push daily production to about 620,000 barrels per day (bdp) in the first quarter of 2024. ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the operator of the Stabroek Block is producing about 400,000 bpd alone at the first two projects, Liza One and Liza Two.

The price of pumpkin has risen steeply in recent months at the market stands as well as on the supermarket shelves.

Even though oil production commenced since December 2019, poor Guyanese families say the sector has not improved their lives in any way. This is due to the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed by the former Coalition government and the failure on the part of the incumbent administration to effect better fiscal management of the sector.

During the radio programme, Red Thread highlighted that the cost of vegetables and fruits have skyrocketed in the past five years with little done by government to assist families. It must be noted that the government had reduced the cost of fertilizers to assist farmers as well as reduced and removed taxes on certain equipment. Be that as it may, customers continue to complain of high market prices.

The price for vegetables at the market has skyrocketed in recent months as seen at this vegetable stand at a local market two weeks ago.

Halima Khan and Joy Marcus, civil rights activists with the organization for over the past two decades, both shared their experiences as single mothers, struggling to make ends meet for their children.

Khan told the host, Charles Sugrim, a member of the Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) that fruit prices in the market have tripled, causing some mothers, like herself, to cut back on these items from their daily diet.

Similarly, she pointed out that vegetable prices have skyrocketed. Khan told listeners that families are being forced to reduce their market budget to meet other expenses such internet and electricity bills; leaving no resources for medical purposes or recreation.

Her colleague, Joy Marcus also explained that she was being forced to cook peas and stews in her household as a result of the high vegetable prices. She said fruits are eaten “once and far,” adding that the objective is no longer maintaining a balanced diet, but to “prevent yourself from fainting.”

Marcus said she pays her rent and electricity bills and whatever is left is “stretched” to purchase food. The single mother explained that she started planting vegetables to be able to feed her family, however, the hot weather has been affecting the produce.

Red Thread contends that majority of the population in Guyana is faced with similar circumstances, as only a few manage to earn enough to live comfortably. They contested that public servants, especially nurses, teachers, and police officers are underpaid, while other small entrepreneurs such as hair dressers and labourers barely earn enough to provide for their families.

As Guyana nears the five-year mark since oil production commenced, Red Thread said the poor class of Guyanese is yet to experience any benefits from the sector.

Khan argued, “Nothing has trickled down to the poor class people, because all these billions that we are getting yes the roads, the school building, bridges and stuff like that, people can’t eat road, they can’t eat bridges, they can’t eat schools.”

She added, “People are still suffering although we have oil. The country have oil, nah we.”

Meanwhile, Marcus also pointed out, “We always hear these big sums that you are talking about (oil revenue) …but we not getting this money, it’s not us so we don’t see the benefit in it. It’s not helping us in any way. If our lives remain the same then we don’t see any benefit…”

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balanced diet, ExxonMobil, oil, Red Thread, struggling

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