PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar has said that the Government continues to consider all the suggestions and proposals put forward by opposition parties, groups and other stakeholders during a meeting held last week; and those would be addressed when the situation returns to normal. At an emergency press conference held at the Office of the President on Friday evening, President Ramotar said the actions of Linden residents were hurting their community and affecting the survival of other communities that have to use Linden as an access point to their communities.
The President said that Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo)were unable to access food and medical supplies because of the unrest in Linden; and investors operating in and around the community were having second thoughts on their continued investments, and in some cases expansion of their operations; and they had so advised the government.
He explained that he received a telephone call from the operator of a call centre in the community about the possible loss of overseas clients should the situation in Linden continue, since his workers were not turning out to work.
The President said that based on information he had thus far received, there already seemed to be a reduction of the fuel and food supplies in Regions Seven to Ten (Upper Demerara – Upper Berbice),and at the moment, there is no other means of getting those commodities into those regions.
President Ramotar has said he does not rule out the possibility of travelling to the area and meeting with the protestors. He has also not ruled out the possibility of compensating the relatives of those who lost their lives when the police opened fire on protestors last Wednesday, although he has admitted that the issue has not yet been discussed.
President Ramotar said he has since instructed Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran to ensure that special medical attention be given to the people of Linden and its surrounding areas who seek medical attention, even if their ailments are unrelated to the protest actions.
The President has also instructed Public Works Minister Robeson Benn to employ the use of heavy machinery to clear the roadways of all debris.
He said he was informed that a team from the Public Works Ministry had been forced to seek refuge in a police station in the Linden area after they were terrified by the protestors on Friday. That team has since met with Public Works Minister Robeson Benn at his office yesterday morning.
The President opined that the present situation in Linden might not have existed had policy makers stood united on the tariff issue relative to Linden, when it came up for discussion earlier this year. Nevertheless, his administration remains concerned about the escalation of unrest in Linden, and he assures that the offers in relation to electricity rates for Linden, placed on the table last April, are still up for discussion.
He explained that his administration is at the moment preoccupied with the security situation in Linden.
Responding to a question on the police failure to use the water cannon instead of live rounds on the protestors, President Ramotar said the issue of the water cannon should be directed to the Police Commissioner. On the issue of the live rounds, he cautioned that an enquiry is being launched into the matter, and those issues will be addressed then.
He, nevertheless, pointed out that it is still only speculation that live rounds were used on the protestors that Wednesday.
On calls for Minister Rohee to resign, President Ramotar explained that he sees no need for the Home Affairs Minister to resign, since he was not on the ground at the time of the shooting, and he was neither the commanding officer, nor was he commanding any of the ranks that Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the three protestors who were shot dead that Wednesday were flown to the Guyana Defence Force Headquarters at Camp Ayanganna, here in the city on Friday afternoon. Joint services ranks were forced to resort to air transport after the main access roads in Linden were blocked by the angry protestors.
Last Friday, the GDF’s Bell 412 helicopter landed outside the fence of the army headquarters at Camp Ayanganna, causing a spectacle, with dozens of persons gathering along the road to get a glimpse of the bodies as they were off-loaded from the chopper.
Once out and properly wrapped, the bodies were loaded into a hearse and whisked away from the area under police escort.
The residents of Linden are currently protesting the Government’s move to gradually phase in a new electricity tariff in the bauxite mining community, which has for years enjoyed subsidized electricity. In response, the residents have launched a five-day shutdown of Linden, which acts as the main gateway to hinterland locations.