Dear Editor,

I an reading the letter columns and some are quite interesting but nobody has mentioned the cost of living. I was forced to write about it, because I am feeling the pressure.

I am working and as soon as I get my salary, I have to pay rent, light bills, phone bills and other expenses. When all that is paid, I am left with just a little money. And that has to last me till next month, when I get another salary. So how am I supposed to survive?

I feel the reason why the cost of living is so very high is because of the rate of exchange with the US dollar. It has been climbing higher and higher. Now if that US dollar goes over 200, I am afraid very soon our dollar will have no value, and we will have to depend on relatives and friends from the USA to be posting money and sending barrels, or start paying in US dollars for wages and salaries. And if you don't have anybody from overseas to support you, you are left to punish.

Since this government took over, there has been increases in wages and salaries, but the cost of living has gone up. Where increases are concerned they have done better than the previous government but the cost of living and the high rate of exchange are still major problems.