President Donald Ramotar made his final push into the mining town of Linden under heavy security.
Region 10 Chairman Sharma Soloman describes President’s Linden visit as a mere photo opportunity
With most of the roads cleared, President Donald Ramotar made his final push into the mining town of Linden under heavy security.
The visit came just two days before the one month anniversary of the start of the Linden protests and the shooting death of 3 of the Linden protestors. The President had always said he would only visit the protesting community when the roads were cleared. But from all appearances Lindeners protested the President’s visit by staying in their homes and away from the meeting at the Watooka guest house. Under 50 persons attended that first meeting and the President told those gathered that he had always wanted to visit the community. He spoke about the discussions with region 10 officials saying that some agreements have already been made.
Presidential advisor Gail Teixiera who formed part of the President’s delegation announced that the government and the region 10 officials had reached an agreement on members of the technical team tasked with reviewing the government’s plan to increase the cost for electricity in the town.
One Linden resident at the meeting told the President that he could have avoided all that happened in the town over the past we weeks had he visited much earlier. There were also concerns raised about the lack of consultation before government’s decision to impose the new tariffs.
The President and his team repeatedly made it clear that the increased rates were now on hold.
Businessman and former Linden Mayor Stan Smith who is a member of the chamber of commerce in the town spoke about their efforts to bring the situation to an end saying there must always be dialogue.
The meeting lasted for just over an hour and ended with the President promising to return.
President Ramotar and his team following the Watooka house meeting travelled to some of the areas where e protests took place. His first stop was the Mackenzie Wismar bridge he viewed the ashes of the buildings that were gutted by fire just nearby.
Some residents who had gathered closely wasted no time to let their voices be heard even as the presidential entourage pulled off.
At Wismar the President reached as far as the half mile area where he went across to meet with a few persons who had Gathered to protest. They expressed their views openly. Some persons gathered along the roadside and from their colorful language expressed their displeasure at the late visit by the President.
At Mackenzie the President stopped to meet with some other persons who had gathered even as a music system blasted songs of resistance.
From there and under even more security presence the team visited the Bonsai Bauxite Company where officials spoke to them about the impact of the protest action on the company over the past few weeks.
Comments
The President Ramoutar has now visited the troubled Linden and held the Political talks with those who mattered may have brought closure to the issue that sparked the trouble shooting in Linden resulting in the unfortunate deaths of the 3 citizens. The Political price was high but those who like to see their comrades fall have been setting up the next hot spot. The disgust of the people will soon reap the results that those Buxton and Linden historians want for their fallen Heroes. Guyana is a beautiful place and there are political thugs who like Chairman Mao believe that real power comes from the barrel of a Gun. Are these comrades descendants of Ethiopa. Where did their ancestors come from. If one set of the people in Guyana are busy in the task of Nation Building and the other part is planning destruction, then only God alone can help this nation in political Transition. Hail Guyana, we love you and all the people of Guyana!
We as a people have been politically and socially harassed by years of Negative Politics in Guyana that it is hardly likely that we can come out of this type of reactionary politics. We are following the leaders who may be psychologically scarred over these years that they are unable to develop a psyche that is free of mantal aberrations that may also lead to successful Politics. One Lindener told the President that all what took place in Linden could have been avoided if he had visited them on day one of the Crisis. Another person told the President that he held no discussions with them on the increased tariffs. Are these true statements. These are half truths and these are the reasons for the irresponsible and rephresensible behaviour of the Lindeners who are somehow behaving at the behest of their leaders as a State within a State. Let’s see how far we cango along the road to healing for sake of Country and King!
I am away from Guyana at the moment, but Guyana is my home and place of work. My heart truly bleeds for my country. Everyone needs to have a place to call home. May God raise up visionary leaders who will place emphasis on the kind of citizen we would like to develop and let’s start from the nursery, primary and secondary schools, the teacher’s training college and the tertiary and post secondary institutions to build this nation. I am willing to be a part of this nation building. let’s put aside negativity and Godlessness and ask God to help us to build one people. Every person regardless of race , creed or religion has a place.
May God forgive us for petty prejudices and marginalising others, even if it is just perceived and let us love our fellow citizens. No one race is a set of hooligans or bandits or corrupt. Its a human condition. Mr. President, whats our vision???