The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) yesterday air-dropped flyers across Linden, appealing to residents to secure the community.
The GDF1 helicopter was seen flying low between 3 and 4pm yesterday and dropping the leaflets.
According to a resident of Retrieve, Mackenzie, she was in her backyard when she noticed the aircraft flying low and objects falling from it. “To tell you the truth, I got scared and ran into my house because in these times, you are to expect anything,” she said.
After a while, the woman, in the company of her husband, went out to the yard and discovered the leaflets, which read, “Safety and Security – Join With Us and Secure your Community. A message from the Joint Services.”
The new campaign comes days after President Donald Ramotar tasked the security forces again with finding ways of clearing the thoroughfares of Linden, which have been blocked as a result of protests that entered the 23rd day yesterday. Traffic to regions Eight and Nine and other parts of Region Ten have been largely restricted since the protests began in Linden on July 18 and businesses and residents in those areas have been affected.
The leaflet campaign generated different interpretations yesterday. “This is what Ramotar turn to now rather than dealing face on with we? He put out a letter calling we leaders extremists now dis?” said a resident. Another added: “They trying all sorts of things to distract us but no retreat, no surrender!”
Some persons, believing that the Joint Services were appealing for their help in removing the roadblocks erected around the community, took the decision to further secure the blocks.
At the same time, there were reports that there were two graders on the road—one along Sir David Rose Avenue and another on the Amelia’s Ward Highway—however, Stabroek News did not observe them upon a check.
What was evident was that the two trucks which were securing the two ends of the Kara Kara Bridge were no longer there and just a few soldiers stood nearby. Approximately 80 residents were at the pile of logs which stretched across the road, blocking the free flow of traffic.
As night approached, the crowd doubled in size as residents prepared for a night-long vigil. At Amelia’s Ward, meanwhile, the main road remained blocked and a larger crowd watched at a bypass road in the community.
The Linden protests arose after government instituted a hike in electricity tariffs—now on hold—for Linden and subsequently expanded over the killing of three protestors.
