By Mark DaCosta-The Opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has thrown its weight behind Linden residents demanding dependable electricity and safe, reliable drinking water. It argues that the community’s frustration exposes a wider failure of accountable governance. The position was outlined at a press conference on November 6, where APNU linked the Region Ten grievances to what it describes as the PPP/C administration’s habit of dismissing dissent and concentrating power.
Residents of the bauxite town have taken to the streets in recent days. Protesters said blackouts and water disruptions were frequent, with some households reporting four or more power cuts a day in recent weeks. Against this backdrop, APNU contends that the gap between what officials promise and what ordinary Lindeners endure has grown too wide to ignore, particularly at a time when oil revenue is swelling the national purse.
The coalition says it is a damning indictment that, in an economy flush with petroleum earnings, people must keep marching for basics. It insists that repairs and emergency measures be matched by published schedules and named officials who can be held answerable. In its words, the statement speaks of “the distance between official assurances for vote-getting and their everyday experience,” a phrase aimed squarely at the Government’s electoral credibility in mining communities. It adds that “Citizens should not have to protest repeatedly to secure the essentials of daily life.”
APNU then widens its critique. It accuses the Government of treating scrutiny as an act of hostility and of making decisions in a narrow circle, a style it labels “dictatorial in character and damaging to the essence of Guyanese life.” The Opposition argues that remedies lie in independent investigations, a functioning system of local government and meaningful parliamentary oversight, which it says are absent from public life. Its reasoning rests on a simple principle: “Public office carries a duty to explain decisions and accept lawful oversight and responsibility.” It also contends that civil servants must be free to do their work without political pressure.
The statement closes on a conciliatory note, inviting trade unions, churches, civic groups and citizens of every political leaning to defend fair wages and equal rights through lawful, peaceful action. APNU is explicit about the boundaries of that appeal: “We reject racial hostility, intimidation, and violence.” It frames shared hardship as common ground, declaring that “A neighbour’s suffering should concern us regardless of the ballot that neighbour cast.”
