Price hikes, lack of monitoring, weight cheating are killing Yemenis [Archives:2008/1129/Reportage]
Almigdad Dahesh Mojalli
The president, the government, officials, practically all of the newspapers, radio and television – all have talked about Yemen's price hikes. The government has made numerous promises regarding finding solutions for the cancer that's eating citizens alive, daily announcing plans and projects to fight such price hikes, but announcing no aid to decrease or even stop them.
For this reason, the Yemen Times took to the streets, talking with those from many different layers of society – retailers, wholesalers, employees and everyday citizens – about the price hikes, their causes, affects and possible solutions.
Motorbike driver Bakkar Hussein Al-Miqlafi said, “Price hikes have affected my life and my children. I now can't afford the essentials that I used to buy them in the past. For example, my 18 month-old daughter now has had to stop bottlefeeding because I no longer can afford a can of milk powder. It was YR 2,400 but now it's doubled to YR 4,800.
“Not only that, but I've had to give up buying many things for them. These aren't worldwide price hikes; rather, it's only in Yemen and the government is totally responsible for this. We see people happily living in the Gulf states where everything is cheap. I'm a motorbike driver earning between YR 1,500 and YR 2,000 daily, which does nothing for me. In my opinion, the solution is to decrease prices so people can live peacefully.”
Laborer Abu Bakr Al-Sabah responds, “Price hikes have affected everyone in our country and they're our daily problem. I can barely afford a sack of wheat for my family. Before the September 2006 elections, 50 kilograms of wheat was YR 2,200, but it's now YR 6,000. That's an incredible hike.”
He went on, “I can hardly buy just the very necessities. I never imagined I would miss the past. We've heard that price hikes are worldwide but I don't think it's to that extent because these hikes affect every commodity – even national products like fruits and vegetables. I was sure the hikes were only on certain goods. The Ministry of Trade and Industry is responsible for these hikes and the best solution is to develop agriculture and build dams.”
Merchant Sa'ad Al-Malah says, “These price hikes have affected all aspects of people's lives so that they barely can buy the very essentials. In the past, people used to buy complementary items, but now they hardly can buy the essentials. I think the government is responsible because there's no inspection or monitoring by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”
He continued, “I haven't raised prices on my goods, which are women's and children's clothing. The best solution to the problem is to stop the robbery by officials and then everything will be fine.”
Farmer Abdulhakim Ahmed Mahdi says, “These price hikes haven't just affected us, but as you can see, they've slaughtered us! I'm responsible for two families and I have nothing to give them. We used to store wheat, fuel and many other things, but now we can barely afford the very essentials.
“There's no state monitoring or inspection at all. The state is totally responsible for everything in this country. We're farmers with no government positions in order to receive salaries, so we really hate this life.”
Regarding the hikes, Farouq Mohammed, an employee in a wholesale shop, remarks, “They're a catastrophe for everyone because they concern citizens' foodstuffs, which are their main lifeline. In the past, we used to buy wheat, sugar and rice in 50-kilogram quantities, but we now purchase them by the kilo. In the very best of situations, I buy half that quantity.”
He further explains, “Only part of the price hikes are worldwide, while most are done by Yemeni businessmen. The government is responsible because there's no monitoring, so merchants toy with the prices as they like. I make YR 30,000 per month, but I spend more than YR 50,000, so I've also had to stop chewing qat.”
Wholesale merchant Hassan Rajeh says, “These price hikes not only affect ordinary citizens, but also us, the businessmen. As you can see, my shop has no customers. People have stopped buying clothes like they used to in the past. They now just simply try to afford the essential foodstuffs such as wheat, rice, milk and other things. For example, a can of milk is now YR 4,800 whereas it was YR 2,800.”
Rajeh goes on, “I'm a businessman and I can confirm that it's a lie that these price hikes are worldwide. They're only on some items, but here, everything is hiked. Both the government and businesses are responsible for this problem. I'm a businessman and for more than five years, I've never seen even one inspector or observer from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”
Retired employee Ali Al-Harazi says, “Our problem not only involves the price hikes; rather, it's beyond that because that's only the first part of the problem. The other part of the problem is cheating regarding the weight of a product. For example, I bought a 10-kilo sack of rice for YR 1,150 but when I weighed it, I found it was only 8.8 kilos. I also purchased ghee, but when I opened it, I found the net quantity only two thirds of the container.”
He went on, “We suffer a lot. This government wants to kill us. I used to buy my children meat daily, but now they get it only on Fridays. Is this the 'New Yemen and better future' the president promised us? Where's the government inspection and monitoring? It's as if we live in a jungle because there's neither law nor state. Every day, we hear promises from the state, but find nothing in reality.”
Abdu Ali Sala, an employee in a raisin shop, commented, “Whatever I say, I can never express what we suffer as a result of these price hikes. I make only YR 18,000 ($190) a month and the same is true for my brother. Both of us are married and can't afford even the barest essentials for our families, who live in the countryside. We barely visit them once every two months, so it's really a problem. I must work a month to be able to afford one sack of wheat, sugar and rice, but what about meat and other things? We eat meat only once a week.”
Silversmith Mohsen Amer says, “Price hikes have affected both my family and my work. I can barely afford the very essentials for my family. Regarding my business, people have stopped thinking about silver necklaces, rings and bracelets because they can only think about how to stay alive. Because they can't find jobs, these price hikes are killing them. My income is approximately YR 40,000, but I spend more than YR 70,000. The government must come up with a serious solution to this catastrophe.”
Women's clothing seller Mohammed Mohsen Fare'e responds, “Absolutely, price hikes have affected us. I used to have many customers in my shop but now, as a result of these hikes, I have only one to three at most per day. The state is wholly responsible for this miserable situation.”
Allam Al-Kaboudi, an employee in a women's clothing shop, said, “Price hikes have affected us greatly because people have stopped buying clothes due to the high prices. I can't afford even half the things I used to buy my family.”
He continued, “My problem is double because my family lives in the village. Here, 50 kilos of wheat has increased from YR 2,200 to YR 6,000, while the price of a gas cylinder has increased from YR 420 to YR 550. In my village, 50 kilos of wheat is YR 7,000 and gas is YR 900. How can we live like this and to whom can we complain?”
Wholesale foodstuff merchant Mahdi Al-Osami admitted, “I had to raise all the prices on foodstuffs in my store, such as rice, wheat, oil, milk, sugar – everything. According to my importers, these price hikes are worldwide, but I'm not so sure.”
He continues, “The state is responsible for everything, including solving this problem. Price hikes affect and are killing everyone, even me. In the past, many citizens used to come and purchase foodstuffs in large quantities, but they now buy only in kilos.”
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