The cost of living is killing us

by Nazly Cassim

(January 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The cost of living is virtually killing the middle class to such an extent that saving any money from one’s earnings is an impossibility. In this scenario the National Savings Bank could very well put up shutters as there would be no possibility for people to save anymore.

Banks, in general, are offering many benefits and amazing prizes, indirectly begging people to open saving accounts and also preventing those who already have one from making withdrawals. Such is the situation in the country.

When two people meet on the road or anywhere for that matter, their conversation would center on the cost of living, especially the price increases on essential food items and the difficulty in making ends meet etc.

When the price of flour was drastically increased the government said the people were not eating enough rice and advised the people to use rice for all three meals. They said eating rice for all three meals was cheaper than eating flour based items and that eating rice was good for health.

But what is the price of a kilo of rice today?

Grade I samba is over Rs. 100 a kilo. The other varieties range from Rs. 60 to Rs. 70 and the cheapest rice is over Rs.50 a kilo.

The Trade Minister, ‘Badumila’ Gunawardena came on TV recently, and assuming the people to be asses, said the paddy stores had ample paddy and that some mudalalis were responsible for rice being sold in the market at exorbitant prices. He said that in a week, quality samba rice could be purchased from government outlets at the wholesale price of Rs.52, and the retail price would be around Rs. 55 to Rs. 60. What a fantastic solution! As far as trade is concerned it appears that he admits that mudalalis are the decision makers.

We accept the fact that successive governments have increased prices of essential commodities but no government has ever increased prices of essentials to the extent as done by this government.

The government doesn’t care a damn for the people and is burdening them with the follies of the government — the cost of maintaining the jumbo cabinet, and the record breaking presidential jaunts.

The people are unable to do much except to grin and bear. The working classes are smarting over the burdens imposed on them and are waiting for an opportunity to show their strength.

Demanding salary increases will not solve the problem because they only benefit the public servants and not the non-state workers or the majority ordinary people. Even if any pay increase is offered to the common man, the government will somehow devise a method to recover it with interest by imposing taxes, pushing the ordinary man from the frying pan into the fire.

In India, when the government intended to raise the price of fuel, the working classes vehemently opposed the attempt which ended in the government dropping the proposal.