Dissatisfaction “The government is experiencing a very different reality when it comes to food prices.”
For the population, regarding the prices of basic food items, the Government has a very different reality than what is currently experienced in the country, since every day, they say, eating costs more due to the high prices of products.
For everyone, the conclusion is the same: everything is expensive, and money doesn’t stretch any further, no matter what the authorities say.
Although Dominicans understand that the price of a barrel of oil has increased the cost of living worldwide, they believe the current Government has left the population helpless, despite the subsidies provided.
The complaints come not only from shoppers but also from shopkeepers, merchants, and street vendors, who acknowledge that putting food on the table is becoming more expensive every day.
For Ramón Peralta, who has three children, the budget he and his wife allocate for food purchases has increased by more than 50% in recent months, which has resulted in them buying fewer consumer products every two weeks.
“Dominicans are eating because we have to, but we’re doing it with all our might. We’re stretching our money as far as it will go. Things are tough,” he told reporters from HOY.
In Santo Domingo’s main markets, chicken sells for RD$65.00 to RD$68.00 per pound, rice for RD$38.00 to RD$40.00 per pound (depending on quality), and red beans for RD$70.00 per pound.
Likewise, a carton of eggs costs RD$210.00, and plantains cost between RD$25.00 and RD$30.00 each in the markets.
According to Isabel Triburcio, these prices are not accessible, as the Government says, because it is not just about buying food, but also about covering other obligations with salaries.
In response to President Luis Abinader’s acknowledgment that the country faces a cost-of-living problem, citizens point out that the population has been feeling rising costs for some time and that they do not see the authorities making real sacrifices as a Government.
What’s the point of being one of the countries with the highest economic growth? What’s the point of receiving more than 12 million tourists or having our exports grow if, in the end, the cost of living keeps rising? We can’t afford to eat decently because we don’t have enough money. We lack quality services. We’re the same or worse off than under another Government,” said Eladio Contreras.
Citizens also indicated that it is a lie that the Government “backed down” on the tax reform, because it has been introducing taxes, where the most affected are the middle and lower class populations.
Fixed incomes, the most affected
In an exclusive interview with the newspaper HOY, President Luis Abinader acknowledged that those with fixed incomes are being most affected by the high cost of living in the Dominican Republic. “We really have a problem with the high cost of living. The impact is being felt,” he admitted.
