–visitors say of deplorable state of Linden-Rockstone roads

By Naomi Marshall

THE deplorable state of the roads leading to Rockstone was the primary concern raised by patrons during the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) community’s 12th Annual Fish Festival.
Located just 14 miles away from the mining town of Linden, Rockstone is the home to Guyana’s largest fish festival. Though this year’s two-day festival attracted approximately 2000 persons from across Guyana, the appalling state of the roads was a major stumbling block.

While some sections of the main road leading from Linden to Rockstone have huge pot holes, others are so eroded that navigating them would test the faith of even the most patient of persons.
“They must fix the road! It’s breaking up the vehicles!” said Mr Ronald Barns who was a first-timer at last weekend’s Rockstone Fish Festival.
Ms Marla Alli, who journeyed to Rockstone for the Festival, also complained about the state of the road. “The road is really rough, and because we don’t have a ‘Cruiser’, we come with car, so it really rough. But we still enjoying it,” Alli said.
Mackenzie High School Principal, Mr Haslyn Small, who took a group of students to the event as part of their 2018 Geography SBAs, posited that the poor condiction of the road could be a deterring factor.

“When you come in, you would have seen the state of the road and so on; that can be a factor that can cause it to deter people from coming in here,” he said.
According to Ms Lynette Benn, President of the Rockstone Tourism Association which hosts the annual event, the road was their biggest challenge this year.

She said the Association had contacted the Ministry of Public Infrastructure about it, and was promised that it would have been repaired in time for the festival.
“Even five days before the festival, executive members and residents of Rockstone were pushing to just call off the festival because they would have seen the weather condition and also the condition of the road, “ she said, adding:
“They did come and do some grading, but I think they could have done better. But we are grateful.”

Region 10 Representative in the National Assembly, Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford told the Guyana Chronicle that some efforts were made by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to have the road repaired, but because of factors beyond their control, the work could not have been completed in time.
“But still, it is more passable than let’s say a week ago. So I must commend them for doing some work,” Rutherford said.

He further stated that the Public Infrastructure Ministry has given its word that come next year, the road will have been repaired well ahead of the Fish Festival.