Lindeners battling high cost of living, shared stories with Narine and Lewis

The community of Linden/Region 10 is reeling from the high cost of living. Many are wondering if their lives will get better in the world’s fastest growing economy.

The town, classified a depressed community for years, continues to suffer high unemployment and from government neglect. Seen as a stronghold of the People’s National Congress Reform, the community has suffered from the People’s Progressive Party Government shutting down the Linden Mining Co (LINMINE), laying off more than 3000 workers sending the country in a downward spiral.

The A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change coalition government (2015-2020) sought to reverse some of the economic decline with policies such as

• The first ever passport office was constructed at Retrieve in support of decentralized Government services Persons were able to access their passport in just 3 days. 3 years after citizens are forced to wait 3 months to renew their passport.
• ICT hubs and training were done in communities across region ten 120 youths were trained and employed at the National Data Management Authority office at the multi-purpose building block 22.

However, when the PPP returned to government in August 2020 the party started to reverse the coalition’s work.

Former Mayor Pt. Ubraj Narine and trade unionist Lincoln Lewis visited the town on Tuesday to listen to the concerns of the residents. They told Village Voice News the situation is dire.

Narine said everywhere we go the people are crying out. According to him “they remain hopeful but feel the government does not care about them and this is bad.”

Calling on President Irfaan Ali to realise he is president of all Guyana and not only some, but the former mayor also said the president must work with the regional government and Linden municipality in developing the community. ”

Narine said this is not a poor country and it is wrong to have people unable to take care of themselves and cannot afford the necessities of life.

Economic genocide

Trade unionist Lincoln Lewis told this publication the economic deprivation of Linden/Region 10 is the result of a carefully conceptualised and implemented policy of the PPP to bring the people to their knees, to punish them for enjoying their right to freedom of association and self-determination.

Lewis, who was a bauxite miner and lived in the town for several years has called the PPP’s policy “economic genocide”. The United Nations Convention defines genocide as any of five “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” These five acts include killing members of the group, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, imposing living conditions intended to destroy the group, preventing births, and forcibly transferring children out of the group.

The trade unionist, who is General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), said Linden was known to have the country’s most skilled artisans and it pains him to see the unrelenting efforts of the PPP to crush the indomitable will and talent of men and women he worked with.

Lewis said during his visit he interacted with men who today should have been receiving pension but are not because the Bharrat Jagdeo government broke up the bauxite workers contributory pension plan. This plan, he said, was worth more than $2.5 billion, the largest single pool of money owned by a majority-African workers.