THE precarious economic situation along with inflation currently experienced by the country is hitting hard on rural dwellers.
In the Western Province, people have raised complaints over hiked prices of goods, services and questioned the direction which the government is taking the country.
In an interview with Solomon Star Tuesday, a Baniata Seventh-Day Adventist Minister, Ken Silas revealed that the prices of goods and services on Rendova Island prompts people to question the state of the national economy.
He said, the new cost of a litre of petrol is $13.00 and a kilo of rice is $18.00, adding that the prices of other commodities have also hiked.
“The new fuel price is very high and every item in shops and markets are expensive.
“It makes life hard. So, I call on the national government to consider the plight of our rural people and regulate the prices of goods and services, which are expensive at in the rural areas,” he said.
Minister Silas said, if the precarious economic situation continues for a long period, people will be badly affected.
With the poor cashflow in rural areas, people are now turning to their gardens for survival.
By LACHLAN SHYVES EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara