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By Saliou Samb

CONAKRY, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Police in Guinea's capital Conakry fired in the air and used tear gas on Tuesday to disperse demonstrators throwing stones and burning tyres in protest at the rising cost of basic goods like rice.

Street disturbances in January and February killed more than 130 people and forced President Lansana Conte to appoint a new consensus prime minister in the West African country, following union demands for action to improve living conditions.

The appointment calmed discontent for a time in Guinea, which is one of the world's poorest countries despite being its top exporter of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminium. But pressure for economic reform has again been mounting.

"They took to the streets to protest that the price of rice is too expensive. They've smashed up at least three rice stores, thrown stones and burned tyres on the road," a senior police official told Reuters, asking not to be named.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the unrest which took place in the Bambeto and Cosa suburbs of the sprawling port city.

"It's very tense there. I wanted to go to the market but I was forced to stay at home when I heard the detonations," said Fatoumata Soumah, who runs a small clothes shop.

Conte, who is in his 70s and suffers from diabetes, named Lansana Kouyate, a respected career diplomat, as prime minister in February as part of a deal to end a crippling general strike and violent protests against his 23-year rule.

Kouyate's nomination was at the time generally met with approval in the former French colony, but since then anger at the high price of basic commodities and a lack of transparency in government has resurfaced.

"There are new ministers in place but the structure is still managed by officials who have over decades established an administration based on bad governance and the corruption, injustice and impunity that comes with it," Guinea's human rights league (OGDH) said in a statement last week.

"The disillusioned and exasperated people look on powerless at the daily degradation of their material standard of living."

In July, the powerful unions which organised the general strikes at the start of the year chided Kouyate, whom they helped bring to power, for failing to tackle the high cost of basic goods and utilities.

They also criticised the choice of new regional prefects and governors named by Conte based on suggestions from Kouyate. The team included several old Conte allies.

Most of those killed in the January and February unrest, which disrupted Guinea's key bauxite exports, were shot by riot police and soldiers armed with assault rifles, who opened fire to stop attacks on administrative buildings.

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