Cabinet's outreach programme in Linden

WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY
By Miranda La Rose
Stabroek News
November 8, 1999


President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Cabinet were on an outreach programme in Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) over the weekend. We asked the man/woman-in-the-street in Linden on Friday how they felt about the Cabinet outreach programme and what were their concerns. Their views follow:

Ecliffe Lindie - Kimbia farmer: "Because of the Cabinet retreat I have travelled from the Berbice River to be here to express my concerns. One of the biggest problems is transportation in the river for farmers and farmers' produce. In the past the Transport and Harbours Department had operated a service which stopped about four or five years ago. Now only private operators run the service on the river and they are not reliable and are very expensive. On one occasion we had a near fatal accident in a boat which had about 50 people. Fortunately we were saved by a UNAMCO boat. We suffer a lot of losses because we have perishables such as plantains, bananas, greens, ground provisions and fruits. I would like the President and minister responsible for transportation to look at this serious issue."

Colin Aaron - community worker/sports administrator: "I think that once the streets and other basic infrastructure are put in place businesses and investments will follow. This will lead to an economic turnaround in the area. Right now people do not want to invest in Linden because infrastructure generally is bad. The President must be commended for sticking to his promise to rehabilitate Burnham Drive which is the main street in Linden and we are looking forward to work being done in other areas. In terms of sports we need more sporting facilities apart from the Mackenzie Sports Club. The mine has a basketball club called the 'Bullets' but they have no court. In Wisroc the basketball club dissolved because there was no court and transportation cost was too much for them. A similar situation existed in Amelia's Ward. I think that some of the Lotto money could be distributed to some of these areas in the town. With the exception of football, sports in the area has died. As to cricket, that is dead."

Addison Blake - Mackenzie Market vendor: "I am glad that the President and his ministers are at Linden. I think that if officials in Linden are not looking after our needs Mr Jagdeo as President would be able to mount investigations into worrying problems that are affecting us and find possible solutions. Right now one such problem is with parking facilities in the greens and vegetable market. The car and mini-bus park is blocking our stalls and we cannot get good sales. The town council says that the police have given the owners of cars and mini-buses permission to park there and the municipality cannot do anything about the situation. Well I believe that a higher authority can do something about it. Erosion at the back of our stalls is claiming market space as well. At one time trucks used to travel behind the stalls now they cannot do that. The town council has promised to repair the back of the stalls facing the river but nothing has been done. Greens and vegetable vendors have to pay sums ranging from $140 a day to as much as $200 a day. We have families to look after and this is not fair."

Phoenix Benn - Silver City resident: "I am glad that the President is here because I would like him to hear what I have to say. I have been trying to get my transport for Lot 1722 Silvertown Hillfoot for years now. I began to occupy the area since 1977 but the area was surveyed in October 1978. Since the area was surveyed I began to pay taxes but [am] getting nowhere. I had spoken to Dr [Ptolemy] Reid when he was Prime Minister but that was that. I then spoke to Mr [Desmond] Hoyte when he was president and I even wrote several letters but to no avail. Since then I have written letters to several government ministers including Harripersaud Nokta, Shaik Baksh and Moses Nagamootoo. Mr Nagamootoo has been most helpful and took my case to the housing officer who has since left the job. Because I do not have transport I cannot get an electricity meter nor piped water running to my home. Well I hope the President's visit to Linden is not just for political purposes but is to genuinely help the people."

Bryan Boyle - Kwakwani businessman: "The President and his Cabinet have a lot of work on hand in Region Ten. I would hope that this visit is not just a political exercise. Some of the ministers seem to be genuinely concerned. We would be holding them to their promises to look into some of the matters. Prime Minister Sam Hinds said that we would get a feedback within three weeks on some matters raised at Kwakwani. One of our problems at Kwakwani which residents would like addressed is that of land titles. Kwakwani is one of those areas that is heavily populated but where the majority of the people do not have titles to land. Years ago the mining company in the area sold houses to workers but it would appear that they were not transported lands. Lots more houses are being built and the community is expanding. Throughout the community just about 15 people have titles to their lands. We have been getting promises to have the matter resolved ever since but the problem remains. If we are given titles to the land we occupy we can then focus on development."

Cecil Henry - pensioner: "I was in a self-help group at Amelia's Ward and moved into the area since 1993. Till now I cannot get title to the house lot. I went to the Ministry of Housing several times and they sent me back to the housing officer in Linden. I would like the Housing Minister to deal with the issue because some people in the area got titles and some did not. How was this possible? Right now the housing officer is telling me that I have to pay $3,000 more for the land when I have a receipt to show that I have already paid."

Jerrick Rutherford - teacher/town councillor/youth leader: "It is good that the entire cabinet can make an effort to focus on problems that revolve around Linden and Region Ten. What is unfortunate is that so much attention needs to be paid to a number of issues and the visit is too short. Infrastructure in the town needs urgent and drastic attention as well as financial input. However, my burning concern are the many concerns that face the young people here. We need programmes and projects which youths themselves can identify and work on because they know their problems better than anyone else. I hope this visit is not merely a public relations exercise. You know it is bad that the President and his Cabinet are in Linden and today is November 5 [Friday] and public servants and teachers have not been paid as yet. What makes it worse is that no one is telling us when we will be paid."

Mark Sutton - unemployed Linden youth: "I am glad that the President and his Cabinet are in the area but they should be in the streets meeting with the people to get an idea of what is really happening. Though I am an electrical technician I don't have much to do but walk around until I can get a job. Other than that my routine is one where I go to church. This helps to keep me out of trouble. Many young people in Linden have graduated from the trade school in Linden but they end up having to sell on the streets to keep on surviving. Sometimes I get a job to wire a house but that would be far and few. It is frustrating for young people like myself to wait around like that. This is causing many to do all kinds of illegal things. We are only hearing that LINMINE is being privatised and that this or that industry will be developed in the area but nothing is really happening."

Ruschelle Merchant - business student: "I think there is a lot of work cut out for government in a facilitating role in Linden. Lots of it has to do with social welfare with a focus on young people. I am concerned about young women like myself. Many teenagers are becoming pregnant and they are unemployed. This is because there are no programmes in place for young people and young girls in particular. Once leadership is provided and resources made available these young girls will stop going out to meet young boys their own age or even bigger men to hang out with and get themselves pregnant. Many do not have an educational background so that remedial or adult education could help. Sewing classes, computer skills programme are just some that could be introduced."

Myrlin Benn - housewife: "We need jobs for our young people and those coming out of school. They have nothing to do but walk around doing nothing sometimes forcing young boys and girls into trouble. Many of them have their papers but that cannot do anything for them and many have to leave the area in search of jobs. Linden needs upliftment. The President and ministers should come to the market area and on the streets and talk to people around and find out what is really taking place. He will find that once government is willing to help Lindeners, citizens will be willing to help themselves too."


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Guyana: Land of Six Peoples