The roadways to be surfaced extend from Bucktown Creek to One Mile Wisroc Junction, through Block 22, Wisroc Road, and from One Mile Junction to Phase Three, Wisroc.

President Jagdeo made the announcement as he addressed a large gathering of warm and appreciative residents who had converged at the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge to meet him yesterday afternoon, following meetings he had earlier with stakeholders in the community.

And later in the afternoon, the President advised that engineers from the Ministry of Communication and Works, along with technical personnel from Seereeram Brothers would be in the area as early as 09:00 hrs today to commence surveying and other technical works for the road project.

The President anticipates that actual road construction should commence within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the following additional commitments towards the road scheme were made by private sector agencies with whom President Jagdeo had met earlier in the day:

** Omai Gold Mines Limited - crushed stone and transportation

** Toolsie Persaud Limited - transportation

** B&K International - transportation

** Stanislaus Jardine Mining - transportation/fuel

** David Klautky Associates - engineering consultancy

** Seereeram Brothers

Construction - surveying and design

Mr. Dexter Copeland, on behalf of the concerned residents the President met, agreed that once works begin, free access to the road would be provided.

The Head of State during his meeting with the hundreds of residents at the bridge, objectively analysed the situation in the mining town, and even as Lindeners continue to block the facility to press demands for steps to be taken to correct the electricity and water situation which has gripped the mining town over the last two weeks, had reassuring words for them.

"I am concerned about the blockage of the bridge, but I am also cognisant of the people's sufferings," he stated.

President Jagdeo who was earlier assured by officials in administrative and technical capacities that the town which had on Monday suffered another power shutdown, would soon get electricity supply, expressed the hope that power would soon be restored to the community so residents can benefit and markets could be back in operation once more.

Protests by residents in the town were triggered when the generating plant operated by the privately owned Linden Power Company (LPC) shut down on March 30.

Residents, at the meeting with the President at the bridge yesterday afternoon, expressed a lack of confidence in the Region 10 Administration and the Town Council in relation to effecting business on behalf of the communities and suggested the setting up of a Council of Community Development Committees (CDC) to interact on a regular and ongoing basis with Central Government in relation to developmental matters affecting the community.

The residents alluded to a situation in which the Government gave the administration at Linden $3M to fix the road at Block 22 and reported to the President that to date the road has not been done.

The President promised that once the CDCs are set up he will meet with them both in Linden and in Georgetown.

"If we sent $100M out here, they can watch it and see that it is spent in the interest of the people, and so I have to get from them, a Committee of 'ordinary people' I will meet here and in Georgetown," he said.

It was also agreed that representatives of the people of Linden will put up a proposal governing television programming so they can have a dedicated channel which will look at community as well as educational issues and other matters of concern to residents.

President Jagdeo advised that the representative group get together with the management of GTV and work out an agreement with them, to appropriately represent their interests in the management structure.

Meanwhile, residents rejected an attempt by a small group to make the Mark Benschop treason trial an issue of concern to them, and insisted that the utilities situation be the issue of foremost concern to them.

Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Shaik Baksh, speaking with reporters following meetings with President Jagdeo at Watooka House, outlined plans to bring long-term relief to the water problems currently faced by the residents of the mining town.

Up to late last night technicians were working to restore power to the town.

When around 18:35 hrs President Jagdeo called on them for an explanation as to why there were still no lights, he was advised that they were trying, but that the plant had 'tripped out' again.

The President also visited the Mackenzie Hospital and the LPC generating plant.

His visit to the town yesterday followed meetings with residents there last Friday.