Brace yourself

Apr 18, 2026 Editorial, News

---

(Kaieteur News) – The sobering warning issued by Irfaan Ali that Guyana must now brace for a new wave of price increases should not come as a surprise. What is troubling, however, is not the admission itself, but the uncomfortable reality it exposes: Guyanese were already suffocating under a crushing cost-of-living long before this latest global crisis emerged.

For months, indeed, years citizens have been crying out about rising food prices, shrinking purchasing power, and the daily indignity of choosing between basic necessities. The editorial pages have chronicled this struggle in detail. From Bourda to Stabroek, the evidence has been visible in every market stall and every household budget stretched beyond its limits. Now, with the fallout from the US-Iran conflict threatening global supply chains, the President has effectively confirmed that worse is yet to come.

His explanation is not without merit. Guyana, like most small economies, is deeply embedded in a global system. When oil prices spike, when shipping lanes are disrupted, when fertiliser and fuel become scarce, the ripple effects are inevitable. The President is correct: we will “import inflation.” That is the harsh arithmetic of globalization.

But this is precisely where the concern deepens.

If Guyanese were already struggling when global conditions were relatively stable, what happens now when those external pressures intensify? What cushion exists for the average citizen? What buffers have been built, not in speeches or policy papers, but in real, tangible relief for families?

The uncomfortable truth is that the country entered this period of global instability in a position of domestic economic fragility at the household level. While macroeconomic indicators paint a picture of unprecedented growth driven largely by oil revenues, the lived reality for thousands tells a very different story. Growth has not translated into affordability. Prosperity has not translated into relief.

President Ali speaks of “policy reorientation” and “additional measures” to safeguard the population. These are necessary. But they are also overdue.

The time for anticipation is long past. Guyanese are not preparing for hardship; they are already in it. The rising cost of chicken, beef, vegetables, and basic seasonings has already eroded diets and dignity. Parents already face the quiet humiliation of cutting back meals. Pensioners already ration medicine. Small businesses already struggle with rising operational costs.

To now say that global events will push prices even higher is to acknowledge a storm approaching a population already drenched.

The President also highlighted the removal of taxes on fuel as a mitigating measure. While commendable, such policies have clearly not been sufficient to shield consumers from escalating costs. The reality is evident at the pump, in transportation fares, and ultimately in the price of every good that depends on movement and logistics, which is virtually everything.

The deeper issue is not simply external shocks, but internal preparedness.

What has been done over the past three years of booming revenues to build resilience among the most vulnerable? Where are the aggressive interventions in food production, storage, and distribution that could soften the blow of imported inflation? Why does a country experiencing an oil windfall still find itself so exposed to basic supply disruptions?

These are not academic questions. They are questions rooted in survival.

The President referenced global projections that millions more could fall into hunger due to the ongoing conflict. That warning should resonate loudly in Guyana, where food security is already a pressing concern despite vast agricultural potential. It is not enough to participate in regional dialogues or draft response matrices. Action must be immediate, visible, and impactful at the community level.

There is also a matter of trust.

Citizens who have endured rising costs with little meaningful relief are understandably skeptical of promises of future measures. They have heard assurances before. They have seen announcements come and go. What they require now is not more explanation of global forces, but evidence of decisive domestic action.

This moment demands a shift in priorities.

Large-scale infrastructure projects, while important, do not put food on tables in the short term. Grand visions of development mean little to a family that cannot afford basic groceries. If the government is serious about “minimising the impact on the Guyanese population,” then the focus must be sharply and urgently directed at cost-of-living relief.

Subsidies, targeted support for vulnerable groups, strengthened local food systems, and strict monitoring of price gouging must move from discussion to implementation.

The President is right about one thing: this is not a simplistic issue. It requires serious thinking and constant engagement. But seriousness must also be measured by outcomes, not intentions.

Guyanese are about to face another wave of economic pressure from forces beyond their control. What remains within control is how the government responds.

And this time, response cannot afford to fall short.

---

• Brace yourself, cost-of-living, Editorial, price increases

---