Corbin to make representation in city over Linden water woes
Stabroek News
February 9, 2003
Newly-elected PNCR leader Robert Corbin undertook to make representations on behalf of Linden residents concerning the water crisis, after making a hurried visit to the bauxite town on Wednesday.
A number of residents who came out to meet him told him about the impact the water woes were having on households, schools and businesses as well as the Upper Demarara Hospital Complex at Blue Berry Hill, Wismar.
During a meeting with PTA members of the Wismar-Christianburg Secondary School, the PNCR leader was informed by parents that they would not let their children return to school until the water crisis at the institution was over.
And several parents who welcomed the party leader while bearing placards protesting about the water situation, voiced their concerns for their children’s health, fearing an outbreak of gastroenteritis in the community.
According to a PTA member, the school had been without running water for more than two weeks. “Cde Leader, I have children here, and if you see the condition of the toilets - filth flowing over to the floor, worms crawling everywhere,” a perturbed mother told him.
President of the PTA, Vanessa Farrell, said that at an emergency meeting parents had decided to keep their children at home until the problem was solved, with effect from Tuesday.
Prior to the meeting with the parents, Corbin had met briefly with the school’s deputy head teacher, Maylene Dyer, who had informed him that the problem of a regular water supply to the institution was an old one, but it had worsened over the past two weeks. To alleviate this situation, the Department of Education in collaboration with the Mayor and Town Council of Linden and the Regional Democratic Council have been transporting water to the school, but this still has not adequately met the water needs of the 700-plus student body.
Dyer related that on Tuesday teachers had decided to come out of their ‘fancy’ clothes and fetch water from a spring approximately two miles away from the school to supplement the supply from the M&TC and the LINMINE fire department.
The party leader was also informed by parents that the water problem was not restricted to Blue Berry Hill, but was prevalent across the Wismar community.
Corbin promised them that he will be making representation on their behalf on his return to Georgetown.
He then went on to visit the Upper Demarara Hospital Complex where he met Matron Allison Christopher who acknowledged that the hospital is heavily affected by the water crisis in the area. She said that the institution had recently acquired a water pump which will be put into operation shortly.
Before departing the town the party leader made a brief stop at the Linden office of Guyana Water Inc. where he met a supervisor on duty. However, Regional Chairman Mortimer Mingo who accompanied Corbin, was not satisfied with the explanation given for the water crisis.
The PNCR leader also visited the Linden Power Company and spoke with the manager who noted that from Tuesday night power was restored to the entire town.
