Dear Editor,
I have been living in Linden town for over fifty years where we enjoyed a social and economic lifestyle of a high standard, second only to that of the people of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. Today, that situation has changed, making number ten, the category we are now reduced to.
Life in Linden town has taken a retrograde step for most of its working-age citizens, who are jobless.
Lindeners are struggling to pay the light, water, transportation and rent bills. With the introduction of the proposed new light rate, how are Lindeners going to cope with the economic pressure already imposed upon us?”
It is important to note that the President, Prime Minister and ministers are not subject to paying those bills, so how do they feel when they come together making decisions which will reduce the standard of living for the small man who was supposed to become the real man?
Politics, politicians and greedy business people are creating havoc with our existence. Let the elephants fight in their own pastures. Leave the small man to survive on the little we have and don’t reduce us to dust. Lindeners are aware we have been paying the lowest light bills in Guyana, but it should be noted that we have been subjected by the Demerara Bauxite Company, (Linmine) the Linden bauxite mining company and now BOSAI to breathe bauxite dust which is unhealthy for us. It makes us sick, gives us dusty homes, dust in our food and in our eyes, muddy roads, causes us to wash our clothing and vehicles more frequently than in other areas of Guyana. Our transportation fares are high because vehicle owners refuse to go into some areas because many of our roads are broken up.
Many Guyanese are giving support to the increase in the light bills in Linden town, saying Lindeners are no better than other Guyanese.
Some of them have never travelled to Linden town and those who did forget to remember many years ago electric energy was transmitted to Georgetown from Linden.
When bauxite production and sales fell many years ago, the Government of Guyana declared Linden a depressed town and they introduced the Linden Economic Advance-ment Programme (LEAP) to lift the standard of living in Region 10. LEAP is no more and was replaced by the Linden Economic Network (LEN). Linden town has a high percentage of unemployment with our children leaving school regularly.
The economic situation remains the same as before LEAP. Young men and women are roaming the streets aimlessly, having nothing to do and that should be of concern to our leaders. Without the introduction of large foreign or local investment in or around Linden town, Lindeners will experience further serious economic social downfall. What about the 2,000 bauxite jobs?
Lindeners should be compensated for the dust pollution we have encountered all of our lives. We have done enough to enjoy some benefits.
Yours faithfully,
B Winslow Parris
