Solomon Urges Fair Treatment for Ituni Residents

Communities in Ituni and surrounding areas are calling on the government to deliver on long-standing promises for development, as decades of resource extraction in the region have not translated into visible benefits for residents.

In a letter to the media, K. Sharma Solomon, Member of Parliament (MP) for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), highlighted the continued frustration of residents who have seen repeated assurances fail to materialise. Solomon, who previously served as Regional Chairman for Region 10, which includes Ituni, and later as Mayor of Linden, has demonstrated a long-held interest in the welfare of the people of Linden and Region 10.

“In August of 2020, the Minister of Natural Resources told the people of Ituni and surrounding communities of the Sub-region, that the sectors they are dependent on, specifically forestry and mining, that development will be coming. Six years on this is seen as yet another empty and broken promises,” Solomon wrote.

He noted that Ituni and the Sub-region have contributed significantly to Guyana’s GDP, exports, and public revenues through forestry and mining, yet development in the communities has not reflected the scale of resources extracted, forcing residents to demand justice in resource governance.

Solomon recalled that in 2020, residents and loggers raised urgent issues, including access to concessions closer to the community, fair distribution for legal logging, government financial support, upgrading the Linden-to-Kwakwani road, and accountability for a local quarry. “Almost six years later and the Minister’s return to the community leaves residents staring at the same empty promises,” Solomon said.

The MP specifically criticized the government for failing to deliver on the $900 million Forestry Revolving Fund, announced in 2020 to support loggers associations and small- to medium-scale loggers. “What loggers would like to know is, how can a $900 million support fund exist, and yet the logger’s association nor any of its members have never benefited from it?” Solomon wrote.

Residents have also expressed frustration at the condition of the Linden-to-Kwakwani road. “Pitch patch works on the Linden-to-Kwakwani road is not what they deserve and what the President had promised. This route is not a luxury road. It’s a lifeline road. It carries people, supplies, commerce, and emergency response while contributing billions towards national GDP,” Solomon said.

He further criticized the irony that Ituni sits near key materials for road building, yet its own infrastructure remains inadequate. Solomon described the situation as “resource injustice,” where extraction is high, but community benefits are low.

“What the people want is access to the $900M Forestry Revolving Fund, better concession for Ituni/Kwakwani loggers, with accessible locations and transparent distribution… They do not want more promises. They want outcomes. Not another meeting. Not another microphone moment. Not another ‘soon.’ This can start right now, not by ‘pitch patch’ works of the trail, but a properly upgraded Linden-to-Kwakwani Road,” Solomon emphasized.

The letter reflects growing concern over the government’s handling of resource wealth and community development in areas that contribute significantly to the nation’s economy.