The current protests in Linden are seriously affecting the hinterland economy, especially in the mining sector, says Senor Bell, Chairman of Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni).
Bell told Stabroek News that the blockade of the Wismar bridge by Linden residents over the power and water situation in that community and the digging up of the roadway had created a fuel crisis for miners operating out of the Mahdia/Kurupukari areas. According to Bell, not much fuel to operate the dredges was getting into the area, since the main roadway had become inaccessible.
“This is causing great effects for the interior regions.It is putting a heavy toll... What I am asking is if the parties - the opposition parties and the government - could sit down and have a fruitful discussion on the whole situation... I hope the government would be able to come up with an early solution to settle the situation with the Lindeners.” He said as a result of the crisis, grievances were “boiling up” between the interior regions and the coastland regions.
“Every time the city gets into a disturbance like strikes, it affects the interior region because of the transportation,” he explained.
He sees, as an alternative, the opening of the Bartica/Potaro road, which, according to the official, would allow the miners to purchase their fuel from the Region Seven community. That roadway, Bell said, had some bridges that needed repairing. Nonetheless, some businessmen are braving the storm.
“Now we are cut [off] from the mainland and Mahdia and Tumatumari... are being affected [and] without the miners being able to work, then this area would die because there is no money circulating.
So far over the last three weeks, mining has been drastically [reduced] because of the fuel. There is not as yet a shortage of food supplies... At this point in time, we are not getting fuel from Brazil because the distance to get it into Mahdia is very far; it is easier to get fuel from Bartica.”
He said in recent weeks, two trucks with fuel went into the area from Bartica but the supply was inadequate for the volume of operation. Additionally the trucks could not make frequent visits because of the state of the road. “The road is not that good, so a truck would take about two days to get in from Bartica,” Bell said.
The urgent action is required before the rainy season starts, since then the area would be flooded, thereby preventing the miners from working.
“Nobody can work, it would be double pressure. If the road is opened some time at the end of this month, and the rains start in May... that means the miners would have to sit for three months beforethe water goes down. So it would be more hardship on the people.”