Protesters take to city streets over Bermine's woes
Nigel Williams
Stabroek News
May 18, 2002
Hundreds of angry residents from Linden and Kwakwani took to the streets of Georgetown yesterday venting their frustration at what they view as government's inability to revitalise the bauxite industry and improve the living conditions of the people of Region Ten.
Up to late last evening some of the demonstrators were keeping vigil in front of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds' official residence on Main Street saying that they would not move until Hinds told them something positive.
Earlier in the day, some city residents and top officials of the PNC/R, including leader Desmond Hoyte, joined the contingent from Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice). They assembled at the Square of the Revolution at about 12:30 pm and at around 1 p.m., commenced their two-hour walk. With almost every marcher bearing a placard the protest moved north into Vlissengen Road and proceeded west into Regent Street, where as is customary now whenever the PNC/R holds a march, proprietors of the stores wasted little time in closing their stores fastening padlocks and iron grills and reopening them after the procession had departed.
With chants of "No justice no peace!" and "Poor people are crying and this government is laughing!" the marchers moved along, blocking the traffic on their way. They headed up Avenue of the Republic onto Main Street continuing their chants with placards hoisted high. On Main Street they halted and stood up for a while in front of the Prime Minister's residence. When they moved off, they turned into Fort Street, Kingston where they visited the head office of the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA). While there they complained that they had recently received water bills from GUYWA showing that they owed in excess of $5,000. The residents, mostly from Linden, pointed out that previously they used to receive water from the Linden Mining Enterprise (Linmine), but last year GUYWA took over.
They claimed that since then, they had not received any bills from the utility company but last week all of the residents received water bills showing that they owed GUYWA $5,000. The residents maintained that they could not have utilised the amount of water they have been billed for and vehemently stated that they would not pay the amount GUYWA was claiming.
They urged that GUYWA review its billing procedure. "We are poor citizens we can't afford to pay all of that money especially when we didn't use that amount of water so GUYWA would have to check back its records. It is impossible for everybody to utilise equal amounts of water, it is impossible," one resident said.
By now the procession had swelled to include pedal cyclists, motorists and police outriders. They made another stop at Hinds' Wight's Lane office and remained there for around 20 minutes. At this point the demonstration turned into a virtual church service. The protestors, led by a vocalist using a loud speaker started to sing "We shall overcome" and "We shall not be moved." Workers from the Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Public Works and Communication abandoned their desks and stood at the gate of their offices observing the scene. While the marchers sang, a man was heard in the background mocking a preacher. They later returned to the Prime Minister's residence where the march ended.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, PNC/R Chairman Robert Corbin said that his party had not organised the march but was in solidarity with the people of Region Ten. He said that he empathised with the people of Linden and Kwakwani.
Corbin said that the move by the residents of Kwakwani, Ituni and Linden yesterday was indicative of how frustrated they have become. "These are people who are suffering and if the bauxite industry, which is the only industry that provides jobs for them in that region is taken away how would they survive?" He said that his party would continue to support the residents and stand firm with their decision to keep vigil at the Prime Minister's residence until he gave them a positive word.
One resident of Linden alluded to the report submitted by Region Ten Chairman Mortimer Mingo following a recent visit to Kwakwani. According to the report the Berbice Mining Enterprise's (Bermine) bauxite operations at Kwakwani were at a standstill as a result of the contractors there having withdrawn their services and equipment last Tuesday. A number of casual workers had been laid off. Also the fuel available could only run emergency services for a few hours and this has severely affected the community's water supply and has placed the continued functioning of the hospital in question. The chairman had also said that an estimated 214 workers remained on the job but their services were likely to be terminated shortly.
Further, Mingo had indicated that Bermine pensioners had not been paid their pensions for the past three months and there was no indication from any source as to when and how they would be paid.