Campaigners for the PPP/C yesterday urged the community of Retrieve “to give us five years in this region” and see how we would transform it for the betterment of the people in Linden and Region 10.”
Campaign Manager for Linden Andrew Forsythe, Juan Edghill and Minister of Transport Robeson Benn were among the several persons who spoke at a community meeting in Moraballi Street Retrieve, a central point in the community at Mackenzie.
“PPP ain’t do nothing for we neither, why y’all don’t shut up and get out of here,” someone shouted from among a group of youths sitting on the parapet a short distance off.
Forsythe made reference to the low electricity rate being enjoyed by Lindeners. “Many people are saying that the government discriminate against Linden, but in the stronghold of the PPP they are paying $50 a Kw while we are paying $5. Tell me where the discrimination is because the people in that area could say that how is it we supporting you so strong and you charging we $50 and charging the people in Linden $5?”
He said that under the PPP/C led there has been significant growth in the economy of Linden and government would want to do much more but faces a number of challenges because of the disparities in the regional administration. He accused A Party For National Unity (APNU) of incorporating in its manifesto, a number of policies of the PPP/C government – things it has been doing and in some cases has on the burners to be done.
Pointing fingers at the administration of the Regional Democratic Council Forsythe said that because of poor management, every year millions of dollars which are allotted for capital works are returned to the coffers, because of a rift in the administration.
“Don’t let those people fool you,” he said. “I want we to win Region 10 so that we can have a better synchronization and development for the people. Don’t let the opposition play politics with people’s lives. It’s time that stops…”
Forsythe repeated the promise made by PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar weeks ago that in the next five years the PPP/C will assure residents of over 1,000 jobs in various sectors. He said that there will be major expansion in the bauxite industry both at Linden and Aroaima Berbice River. “We are saying that over the next five years Bosai would employ another 500 persons and RUSAL would need another two to three hundred persons there. We are saying that over the next five years the bauxite industry would create about another 1,000 jobs.”
According to Forsythe, a woodworking company in Region 10 is working on putting up a modern factory in Linden which in the begining would employ some 800 persons and in the long term another 400 persons. “We are making sure that we bring jobs physically here. We’re not pulling it from the sky. We have a plan that would bring jobs.”
