Dear Editor,
We, the residents of Sub-Region Two of Region Ten are somewhat relieved that the length of our journey from Linden to Kwakwani and other communities has been shortened. This is because someone in authority caused a motor grader on the stretch between Ituni and Linden to do some levelling.
The journey on the Kwakwani-Linden road in the best of conditions can take as little as ninety minutes, but the heightened logging activities and lack of regular maintenance had seen residents taking as much as five hours to complete the journey.
Most of the road is lower than the verges with some places as much as four feet lower. With the grading now in progress, it is clear that in some sections, all the capping (hard crust) is being removed, leaving the bare white sand at the base of the road. I can guarantee that the Kwakwani-Linden road will take as much as six hours or more to traverse during and after the next rainy season. With the economic activities taking place in the sub-region – bauxite, gold and diamond mining, and logging – which are all contributing significantly to the national coffers through royalties, and the bauxite workers at Aroaima who are also contributing a significant amount of their earnings as PAYE, what logical reason can there be for the Kwakwani-Linden Road to be in such a state?
The use of the grader alone to smooth this road is just a quick fix and should be followed up immediately with a comprehensive programme which will build and elevate it above the edges.
Taking into consideration what is known as corporate citizenship and social impact on the lives of the majority of citizens residing in a community, it cannot be asking too much of any investor, be they national or foreign, to make contributions that will positively impact the lives of residents living in the communities in which they operate or through which they transit.
It is with thoughts of the above that our Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon must be supported in his representation to better the lives of all residents within Region Ten.
Yours faithfully,
Jocelyn Morian
