Amidst the continuing protests in Linden, interior areas are feeling the squeeze as traffic that must pass through the bauxite-mining town to get to those areas have not been allowed to pass since Wednesday and the authorities are warning that investments could be affected.
In Mahdia, power is being rationed as the fuel supply runs low. One regional councillor told Stabroek News that for a few days now, the power supply from the Mahdia Power and Light Company has been limited to 12 hours rather that the normal 24 hours. He said too that fuel prices have risen from $51,000 per drum to $70,000. “The tanker that should be coming (is) still somewhere out there waiting,” the man said.
Further, he said that the prices of fruits and vegetables have also risen. This, the community leader said, is a lesson that residents should be planting. He noted that prices for some basic goods remain stable because some of the bigger businesses have bonds. He noted that transportation is also affected. “Nothing is coming in. Nothing is going out. We just sitting tight,” he said.
In terms of an alternate route, the man said that the Bartica-Potaro road is usable up to 72 miles but the bridge at Cassandra Crossing needs attention. “That is the only hold-up,” he said. He added that the Garraway Stream Bridge is in a passable state but is in need of repair. “We have been trying for years to get somebody’s ear. That is an essential road,” he said. The road is 111 miles long and if the one via Linden is closed Mahdia can be accessed via this road.
“We understand to some extent what is happening but it is difficult to understand how a small issue like electricity hike could lead to the extreme of deaths of protesters. It doesn’t add up,” he said. “The longer it takes, it’s going to be very awkward here.”
A mining source said that that many dredges use diesel and are not much affected at this point in time.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment says that the protest actions at Linden are taking their toll on the gold and bauxite mining activities and on the mines workers, their support services and their families. In a statement, the ministry referred to the releases made by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Bosai Mineral Company. The GGDMA had advised its membership that owing to the denial of access to vehicles requiring to transit to Linden en route to Mining Districts 7, 8, 9 and 10, they may have to find alternative routes.
The statement noted that in the case of Bosai, the company has advised the ministry that it has had to shut down its operations for four days. “Consequently, it has suffered huge financial losses in production and the shutdown has affected approximately 600 employees. The impact will be even more pronounced if workers cannot receive their pay next week. This comes at a time when the company is reviewing future investment plans which is in the vicinity of US$200 million and can create another 1,000 jobs,” the statement said.
The ministry also said that Bosai further announced that stored fuel, including the one tanker load received on Sunday, can only maintain the electricity supply at Linden and allied communities for about two days. Load shedding may have to commence from today if the company cannot be guaranteed a daily fuel supply, the statement said.
“The ministry is alerting Lindeners that they should be aware of the consequences to the mining and socio-economic sectors and the well-being of the mines workers and their families, if the mining community and their supplies are denied access through Linden to the mining districts and if Bosai is faced with a continuing shut down of its operations,” the statement said, adding that the ministry will continue to engage all stakeholders in the mining sector on the impact as well as exploring alternatives.
Meantime, in Lethem, Vice-Chairman of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alfred Ramsaran told Stabroek News that they were not feeling much of an impact, although vehicles with supplies are not getting through. He said that they are still receiving the full power supply but are unsure of what is going to happen now given that the protest has been extended. “I think very soon, the power plant fuel will be depleted,” he added.
He said that prices for goods so far are stable, but the community could face a shortage of chicken feed, fuel, building materials and other goods should the situation persist. “We are at a stage right now where we don’t know what will be the outcome,” he said. Minibus services have also halted and there were reports that two days ago, two minibuses attached to the Guy-Braz bus service were robbed at Linden and the operator has since ceased services. The air services, meanwhile, have increased flights to Lethem.
