Greater impacts are being felt in the interior areas as a result of the continuing protest in Linden with electricity in the two main interior communities, Mahdia and Lethem, now being rationed amid fears that fuel supplies will soon run out.
In Mahdia, Region Eight, food prices have also risen and residents worry that the situation could bring the economy of the remote gold mining-dependant region to a halt. “It could be catastrophic,” said Regional Chairman Mark Crawford. He said that “everyone is crying” over the increases in the prices for food and fuel and pointed out that mining sustains the region and if there is no fuel, the miners cannot work. “If miners cannot get to work, then the entire economy will be down,” he said.
Protests in Linden over a proposed hike in electricity tariffs, which has since been put on hold, have been continuing since July 18. The main roadways to access regions Seven, Eight, Nine and other parts of Region Ten have been blocked off since then, with all traffic halted.
The protest has grown to encompass justice for the three Lindeners fatally shot on the night of July 18 and continues.
Crawford told Stabroek News on Thursday that the road blockage has affected Mahdia in terms of the prices for commodities and prices for some vegetables have increased by almost 100% and fuel by 50%. In terms of road transportation, this has halted and the daily minibuses from Georgetown to Mahdia have not been on the road since July 18. “We hope as soon as possible, the bridge (across the Demerara River at Linden) will open,” Crawford said.
Currently in Mahdia, he said, the community is only receiving 12 hours of electricity from 6pm to 6am daily as opposed to the normal 24-hours supply.
Thursday night was the fourth night that the rationing has been in place. The regional chairman said that the situation has put a lot of strain on residents. He said that some perishables are being brought in by air but this is expensive. “We just hoping that things get back to normal as soon as possible,” he added.
Crawford stated too that the region’s work programme is being affected to some extent, with equipment being stranded. He noted too that miners are running out of fuel and said that if this industry comes to a halt, it could be catastrophic as people will have to get money in some way. The chairman said that otherwise, things are calm in the community and “we just hope as soon as possible, the roads in Linden would be clear.”
Another resident lamented too the increases that they are facing. She said the price for cooking gas has increased from $6,000 to $10,000 and a litre of kerosene from $140 to $200. She said that boulanger, which previously retailed for $100 is now selling for $500 and a pound of tomato has increased from $400 to $900. “Everything gone sky-high,” she said. “It kinda hard.”
The woman said that an egg is selling for $100. She added that she was told that the fuel at the Mahdia power company is running out and they could be facing a situation where there is no electricity.
The price of fuel, she noted has risen from between $54,000 and $60,000 per drum to between $75,000 and $80,000. “If they continue, we will suffer,” she said. She noted that other goods which are in stock are being sold at the normal price.
Meantime, in Lethem in Region Nine, a resident said that power is being rationed and they are now receiving 17 hours of electricity, from 7pm to mid-day. “They are trying to conserve the fuel,” he said.
The gas stations in Lethem have run out of fuel, some since Monday, and a few private individuals are selling their supplies at high prices. The mini-bus services are still not running and the resident said that persons anticipate that the situation could continue. According to the resident, the majority of persons are sympathetic with regards to the situation of Linden and want the government to “sit down and talk with the people.”
He said that one of the reasons that have contributed to the shortage of fuel in Lethem is that Brazilians come to fill their tanks here because the fuel is cheaper. He said that the border community does not have the population or the vehicles to use the amount of fuel that is brought into the growing town. According to the residents, on average, 50 vehicles from Brazil come over daily and “every time they go back, they full their tanks.”
Thus far, the resident said, there is no increase in the price for foodstuff and he noted that a lot of their supplies come from Brazil. But, he said, the road blockage has impacted the community in other ways and he cited as an example, the road transportation halt and the fact that some people cannot afford the fare for planes.
