Ulric Michael Cameron, one of the Lindeners wounded after police opened fire at the Mackenzie-Wismar bridge a week ago, was flown to the city yesterday as his condition worsened.
Cameron, 33, of 23 Canvas City, sustained gunshot wounds to the face and chest in the shooting, which claimed the lives of three Linden residents and intensified protest action over higher electricity tariffs. The protests, originally planned for five days, continued yesterday, with protestors vowing to completely block traffic to the town, after they accused out-of-town operators of exploiting the limited transport in and out of Linden.
Cameron was said to have bullet wounds in the region of his heart and lungs, and had to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention since his condition was not improving. He had been on oxygen continuously since he was admitted at the Linden Hospital Complex after the shooting.
Linden Hospital Complex Public Relations Officer Recia Nedd refuted information on the state-owned NCN 6 O’ Clock news that there was a shortage of oxygen at the facility. “That is not true… we received about fifteen cylinders, four were brought to the hospital and another eleven are safely stored in Amelia’s Ward,” said Nedd. She also said that they are not experiencing any challenges in transporting the cylinders to the hospital.
Sometime before noon yesterday, two GDF helicopters that were circling over Linden, landed on the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground. Cameron was transferred to one of the choppers, which transported him to the city.
Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon confirmed that the transfer of critical patients was as a result of his negotiations between the authorities.
Alicia Shaw-Barker, who said she was shot in both thighs while assisting a group of children off the bridge last Wednesday, yesterday said she was forced to seek medical attention at a private hospital in Georgetown. “The one where the bullet is still lodged is getting black and blue now, so I am going to a private hospital to take care of it,” she said, as she was being helped across the block at the Kara Kara Bridge.
Another victim, Reuben Bowen, was discharged from the Georgetown Hospital and returned to Linden. He was shot to his left leg and knee last Wednesday. Bowen remains adamant that he was shot by live rounds and has committed to rejoining Lindeners encamped on the Kara Kara Bridge.
Residents continued to accuse police of targeting persons exercising their democratic rights.
Shortly after 9am, a young man in the company of others at the Wismar end of the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge was approached by a policeman, who allegedly pointed a gun at him and accused him of attempting to burn the Guyana Revenue Authority building last Wednesday. The man attempted to escape by running into the river under the bridge. Army ranks intervened after the police gave chase. A senior officer arrived as the army ranks were preparing to transport the man to the Wismar Police Station and instructed that he be released.
‘Total lock off’
Meanwhile, protestors yesterday vowed to clamp down on out-of-town taxis transporting persons into Linden. “We are bus and taxi drivers in this struggle and we are not working, so it unfair to have these man coming in here and exploiting people,” said an enraged Linden driver.
At the Amelia’s Ward bus shed, several Georgetown taxi-drivers who had brought persons into Linden, were encircled by cars, blocking their exit from the town. Some were released after a few hours and warned not to return to Linden. “Tomorrow (today) we shutting it off totally. No vehicle would be allowed to leave or enter Linden. It’s a total lock off tomorrow,” said Sean Boyle, a Linden driver.
Attempts were made to capture images of the trapped Georgetown car, but a man grabbed the camera belonging to this newspaper’s reporter and ordered that no photos be taken. The reporter was also confronted by several others who were adamant that they did not want images of their vehicles appearing in the newspapers.
Early yesterday morning, residents had re-erected blockades at Millie’s Hideout and Bamia. Later in the day, the blocks were removed to allow traffic into the town up the Amelia’s Ward bus shed.
Residents of Blueberry Hill, Wisroc, Block 22, and other adjoining communities had reported being without potable water since last Sunday. Reports from Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) officials indicated that this was as a result of the collapse of a utility pole along the road leading to the Wisroc Water Treatment Plant on Saturday. The situation necessitated the intervention of personnel from the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited (LUSCSL) and service was said to have been restored at approximately 4:30pm yesterday.
BOSAI officials confirmed that four full loads of fuel, or approximately 151,200 gallons were delivered by tanker from the Sol bulk fuel storage facility at Christianburg, Wismar yesterday afternoon, after they were allowed entry by protestors manning a blockade at the head of Burnham Drive. With the bauxite operations being shut down since the protests began last Wednesday, it is expected that the fuel delivered will last twice as long. Protesting residents facilitated the passage of the fuel tanker to ensure the delivery to the Linden Power Station but the barricades that were removed were immediately replaced.
Protestors have also committed to facilitating the movement of ambulances and hearses as far as is practicable. The funeral for Donna Adolph-Monah took place yesterday without incident, while Aaron Singh, another resident who died in an accident before the protests, is expected to be laid to rest at the Bamia Cemetery tomorrow.
A number of vendors on the Mackenzie Wharf have returned to business. “People got to get food, so you could tek out wah picture you want and put it wherever, we selling,” one of the vendors at the facility said.
At several camps on both shores of the river, food was being prepared and there were at least two camps preparing meals for vegetarians. “We have people even bring meals at intervals of their free will for distribution,” said a person at one of the camps.
