Pictures David Papannah
Earlena Obermuller, Deputy Town Clerk
`I would like to see a much more efficient solid waste department as it relates to the garbage collection and to see better roads. The heads for the communities can be more united work wise and work to see Linden become a better place. United we stand divided we fall, so the more we fight against each other we can’t get certain things done. For 2017 I want us to unite so we can make a Linden a better place.’
Robert Byass, Joiner
`Personally, I would like to embark on a programme to set up a furniture factory, and that is one of the things Linden is lacking. What happens is that 90% of the furniture coming in to this town is from outlying areas so if the factory is a possibility it will create more jobs and would add a lot of value in the community.’
Chandrawattie Devi, Herbalist
`I am a resident of Amelia’s Ward, Linden for about 35 years and I would like to see a lot of things happen in my district for 2017. I want more police patrols in my area since there have been a number of break-ins recently. I would like to have a Hindu temple be built in Linden, so I could attend. I do have my little temple in my yard, but I would like a Hindu temple for all the Hindus in Linden. I also want to see the roads done properly because soon as it rains, the road deteriorates. And one major concern is street lights, we need that this year. ‘
Daniel DaSouza, Contractor
`We need better jobs in Linden; better infrastructure. There are a lot of unemployed youth in the streets who are looking for jobs. And this unemployment leads to violence and crime in the streets. I wish that for 2017 we rehabilitate the sport sector and get the youth involved. Our grounds and playfields need to be more enhanced and maintained for the youth to practise. We had Kashif and Shanghai but that is no longer functioning. We still have our little end-of-year football tournaments but that is not supported as compared to Kashif and Shanghai. I wish we could develop the tournament we have now and garner the support from other entities. The Linden Town Day is always the same and I hope this year it is developed properly and the planners get more creative with the festivities.’
Wendell Rodney
`I would like to see more jobs in Linden for 2017. There is the Technical Institute, where persons learn a trade but when persons complete their trade there is nowhere to go. Moreover, when you do find somewhere to go, they chose the 5% out of the 50% who completed the course. I could tell you as an old apprentice, when you come out from trade school, you are well trained. This community needs a turnaround in 2017. They need to bring in Green Mining enterprise and take back the bauxite industry, and you would be surprised of the turnaround. Another point I would like to make is that when you’re travelling up the Highway, vehicles are broken down with orange cones around them, you need the police for that, not the cones, the police has to guide you along the way, before more persons lose their lives on the Highway.’
Alena Dougan, Saleswoman
`Some issues I would like to see rectified in Linden right now is jobs. That is the biggest thing. Without jobs, nothing cannot happen. I don’t know how persons make out in Linden, the thing is persons depend upon persons sending them money from the states [United States of America]. We have to wait, for the police, the nurses, the teachers and the few bauxite miners to get paid in order for money to circulate. I would like to see the Alumina Plant be revived because that would give this community and by extension Guyana the biggest boost in the economy.’
Natasha Forde, Stall Holder
`They need to light the highway, we could get some lights straight through for the new year. And the whole Highway needs to be fixed. Pertaining to jobs, I have a shop and I can’t really afford to open it right now because I don’t really get business, so I relocated to Kwakwani, where there is better business. A lot of prices in Linden should drop, but it won’t happen like that because persons have to make a profit. I figure more wholesale stores up here for us would help. These stores would sell cheaper so persons can buy and that would also accumulate jobs for other people as well.’
M. Thompson, Stall Holder
`We would like to see more police patrols on the streets and on the Highway. The logs, the trucks with the logs should travel by the river instead of the road as they used to do years ago. They should start that back this year. Another thing is that they should have a time period when they should be allowed on the road, I don’t feel they should travel anytime, because when they break down on the road and they are left there in the nights, it’s hard for drivers to see them. In terms of development in the community, we need a lot of jobs for our youth.’
Vanessa Daniels, Vendor
`I want to see more jobs being created in Linden for the youth, because right now a lot of youth come out from school and no jobs are being provided for them. We also need more street lights on the Highway and another police outpost to curb the speeding on the Highway.’
Carwyn Holland, Mayor of Linden
`For this year, I would like to call on businesses to play their part in contributing to Linden’s development by paying their taxes and keeping their business environment clean and for the garbage to be properly disposed of. The residents as well should also play their part in keeping their communities clean. I want the citizens to adhere to instructions of the council and to be respectful of the law. I gave notice that 2017 will be a different year whereby we intend to enforce the laws of the municipality. I’m optimistic about our future, I’m positive about 2017. A new year … a fresh, clean start! It’s like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on! A year full of possibilities!
I would also like to see in 2017 and I ask all Lindeners to stand with me to push to ensure the paved Linden to Brazil road becomes a reality. To have a new bridge linking Wismar and Mackenzie, To have an addition of local and foreign investors, and to see our youth being rewarded for their success in sports and academics.’
