Lindeners turned out in large numbers yesterday morning protesting over the proposed increase of electricity rates from July 1, 2008 and Prime Minister Sam Hinds last evening invited them to meet with him today on the way forward.
The protest action got started on the Wismar shore yesterday morning with residents blocking main thoroughfares with large planks, scrap metal and old tires.
Blocked were the Wismar four-corner area, preventing vehicular traffic from entering or leaving the One Mile, One Mile extension, Wisroc, Block 22, Wismar Housing Scheme and the interior locations; The Winifred Gaskin Highway preventing access to the Canvas City Half Mile area; Burnham Drive blocking access to Silvertown, Silver City, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Alley and Christianburg. This action totally shut down the Wismar area.
Stabroek News learnt from reliable sources that police had arrested several persons who participated in erecting blockades on Burnham Drive. Reports indicate that police had removed the blockade and the group immediately re-erected it resulting in the arrest. Up to press time about four persons were still in police custody.
Last night police cleared the bridge so that traffic could resume. There was no blockage of the streets at Mackenzie. At press time the ferry service was back into operation with each boat landing operating one ferry, but no buses or taxis were working.
Further, the US medical outreach team working in Linden has had to suspend their operation at the Mackenzie Hospital because of the protest action.
Hinds last evening in a statement said that Lindeners will have to pay for power over 100 kilowatt hour at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) domestic rate but consumption less than 100 kWh will continue to benefit from the existing rate of $5 kWh/month for ordinary residents and $0/kWh for bauxite pensioners.
The Prime Minister said that this proposal was to be implemented for electricity consumed from June 15 with billing from that same period.
Further, the Prime Minister said that businesses in Linden will continue to receive 300 kWh/month at the existing rate of $12 kWh and the going GPL rate for greater consumption.
Hinds said that the proposal is flexible – the date at which the new tariff structure begins, the quantities to be retained at existing prices – are all open to change. “The only requirement is that whatever the proposal, there needs to be enough money to finance it,” Hinds said.
He said that the Govern-ment has always recognised the concerns and the anxieties which inevitably would be engendered by electricity re-form in Linden. “The Govern-ment, therefore, welcomes the assistance of the Community Leaders in working our way through this significant change, along a path which avoids collateral damage to Linden, Region 10 and Guyana as a whole,” Hinds said.
Hinds has invited stakeholders and community leaders of Linden to a meeting today at 3 pm at the Office of the Prime Minister to help resolve the issue. It is unclear if representatives of the Lindeners will be there.
Hinds said in his statement that as petroleum prices continued to rise, it became clear by April that the allocation of $2.043 billion would have been exhausted before the end of the year. “Prime Minister discussed approaches to reform with stakeholders on May 20th 2008 but, on advice, stayed away from a subsequent meeting on June 6th when, as requested, a specific proposal was to have been presented. From all reports there had been preparation by some to ensure then no presentation could take place,” Hinds said.
Draconian
A meeting called last Sunday by the Linden Utility Services Coop Society Limited (LUSCSL), the cooperative society which is responsible for electricity distribution at Linden, discussed what they describe as the draconian increase in electricity rates for Linden announced by the Government. At that meeting residents expressed their disgust and anger at the increase. They mandated the LUSCSL to organize a march and rally in protest.
Yesterday morning, businesses closed their doors in solidarity and supported the position taken by residents. The first in support were the ferry services which did not operate for most of the day. Scores of prospective passengers turned up at several of the boat landings to either go to work or to school but had to turn back. Some businesses like Courts had opened up but were forced to close after they learnt that the bridge was blocked and workers would have had to walk the full distance to get to their homes. The Linden Business Centre (LEAP) was open for most of the day. On the other hand head teachers were forced to end classes approximately after only two hours since many parents who had sent their children to school turned up to take them back home. There were no round-the-town buses or taxis in operation either. Many took to cricket in the streets.
Originally the protest was organized to take off from strategic points at 3 pm but desperate to send their message hundreds of residents from Wismar took to the streets around 11 am, moving off from the Christianburg area and marched along the Burnham Drive to the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge. Once at the bridge the protesters lined it as they waited for the others to join.
“Everyone must join deh struggle” they chanted as they advised that no vehicular traffic would be allowed to cross at that point. However, police took a decision to escort a #72 minibus across the bridge. Consequently, protestors fetched heavy pieces of scrap metal, building a barricade and preventing traffic from crossing. A senior rank in a bid to have the bridge cleared announced to the protesters that they need not proceed in this manner since Prime Minister Hinds was on his way to Linden to address the situation.
The protesters then said that they wanted President Bharrat Jagdeo, not Hinds. They said that Prime Minister Hinds had shown disrespect for the people of Linden when he failed to address them at a previous meeting he had called in May. PM Hinds had sent GPL Chairman, Winston Brassington to represent him at that meeting and residents staged a walkout.
At around 3 pm another group of protestors converged at the bridge led by Regional Chairman and Director of the Board for LUSCSL Mortimer Mingo and Regional Vice Chairman Samuel Hooper. They were later joined by residents of Mackenzie who marched from Amelia’s Ward, explaining that since the bridge was blocked, the public meeting which was scheduled for the Mackenzie Bus Park would be held at on the Wismar end of the bridge instead.
Protesters carried placards reading “GPL can’t wuk, dem bin selling we out fuh years, Linden say no to electricity rate – increase jobs, wages, not electricity rate, do not sacrifice us for Carifesta”.
Appalled
Addressing residents were Mingo, Charles Sampson of LUSCSL and Leader of the PNCR Robert Corbin among others. Reflecting on the history of electricity in Linden, Mingo noted the significance of the now defunct steam power plant. He explained that the use of Bunker C fuel was much cheaper than diesel and was a much more cost effective way of producing electricity. He noted that Lindeners must stand firm on their decision to have an amicable solution to the problem. In concluding, Mingo urged the large gathering to peacefully return to their homes, keep their ears to the ground and listen for the next course of action. He also urged them to turn out in their numbers at another meeting of the LUSCSL scheduled for Sunday.
Then it was Corbin’s time to speak. They crowd was appalled to learn from Corbin that in a recent meeting with President Jagdeo, Hinds was advised by the President not to fix a date for the proposed increased electricity tariffs at Linden. “At a meeting with the President he said that electricity rate will not rise on the first of July. He only told us to prepare for it but no date must be fixed and that Sam Hinds would meet with me as Prime Minister and we must discuss what possible alternatives could be met.”
He said that he received a phone call from Hinds on Wednesday afternoon saying that he had heard from the President and that they are to discuss the electricity situation at Linden. “I asked him if we are meeting under the same information that I have … He said that there would be no increase of electricity from the first of July but the letter to the Utility would not be withdrawn and the people wouldn’t pay increases until about October and it would be dated back to the first of July.”
Prior to the protest action an open letter was circulated outlining the effects the proposed hike in electricity would have on the general community. For one Chinese shop whose last bill showed a usage 948kwh their current bill is $11,474. With the proposed hike this would cost $49,963. A snackette with a current bill of $4,864 for 397 kwh would have to pay 11,222, a general store using 1990 kwh pays $23,980. With the increased rate this would be $122,445. A sawmill using 1575 kwh currently pays $42,436. The new bill would be $208,789 and a bakery using 3461 kwh paying currently $41,632 would have to pay $204,564.