The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) last evening promised that Linden would not be bypassed by a paved road to Lethem.
PPP/C member Robeson Benn, who is the current Minister of Transport, told a small gathering at a public meeting held on the Sparendaam Railway Road that Lindeners would not be discriminated against.
“We are saying that we will work to pave the road from Linden to Lethem. We ain’t move the road head to some other place so we could discriminate against the Lindeners. The road got to pass through Linden as far as we are concerned,” Benn said.
Recently, opposition coalition APNU had accused the government of entering into a secret deal with a company that would see the construction of a new road from Lethem to Georgetown that would bypass Linden.
The paving of the Lethem-Linden road has been in the pipeline for several years without any significant progress being made. The Inter American Development Bank (IDB) has funded a study to determine the feasibility of paving the road—which is seen as key in opening additional trade markets for both territories. Currently, teams from Guyana and Brazil are in discussions on this project.
Still on infrastructure, Benn announced that two Chinese-built ferries for the Essequibo River are due in Guyana on December 3. These, he said, would serve communities of that area as they take commodities and passengers to various locations. Mariners and other personnel have already gone to China for training, Benn indicated.
He recalled that the Makouria and Torani ferries were purchased in the 1950s and 1960s when the Cheddi Jagan-led PPP first assumed office, adding that it seemed that only this government was concerned about aqua transport in Guyana.
Benn also assured that the cost of living would be reduced when a deep water harbour is built in Berbice to accommodate larger vessels with cheaper imports.
Both he and PPP Executive Member, Anil Nandlall pointed to the benefits of the 162 megawatt Amaila Falls hydropower plant that is to be built on the Kuribrong River. He said the facility would produce clean, reliable and renewable power, aimed at reducing the cost of electricity and improving reliability.
Nandlall said the cost of electricity is projected to drop by 40 percent and Benn said money saved from purchasing fossil fuel would be used to fund development projects.
Benn, Lall and Dr. Emmanuel Cummings, in their addresses, also sought to rubbish APNU saying it was the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) by a different name and that party has had a tattered record in managing the economy and general well-being of the country.
Last night’s meeting was void of incident, even as a small team of police officers, including the Divisional Commander, were on the scene. (Marcelle Thomas)
