PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar said that he does not conduct security exercises nor does he tell the Guyana Police Force how to do its job. He said that the GPF is an organisation more than 150 years old, and as such is capable of doing its job and conducting its operations. The Head of State was at the time responding to questions from the media while in Linden on Thursday, that police officers were informing Linden residents that they were getting orders from the Office of the President (OP) on the handling of the situation in the mining town and that they were instructed by OP that no media should be allowed to take footage of the community until the issues are resolved. The president explained that he serves the country at the policy level and does not get into the operations of the GPF.
The president had earlier told the residents that the rumour about the army invading the township on the morning of August 10 was a deliberate attempt by some persons to aggravate the situation in Linden. He said that on the morning of the alleged army invasion not one single army rank was present in the town.
As the unrest continued in the community, it eventually began to hurt the economy and livelihood of the residents and of those persons in other regions who use the Linden community as the gateway to their homes and business operations. The actions also affected the inflow of medical and other supplies to those communities.
The president said that he was satisfied with the atmosphere in the community and said that there is a clear sign that the situation is returning to normalcy and he hopes that it gets better really soon.
In response to questions about the charging of those responsible for the lives lost on July 18, the President said there will be an in-depth investigation into that matter. Further he said that it is expected that all the issues and misconceptions will be cleared up through the commission.
Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Robeson said that claims by some people, both in and out of the mining town of Linden, are that the residents there are jobless and just sitting waiting for jobs to come their way is not entirely true. In addition, he said that residents of Linden were put on the alert long ago of the boom the ministry was expected to experience and which has eventually become a reality today.
The minister was at the time speaking at a meeting in the mining town on Thursday, where he accompanied the president and two presidential advisors, Gail Teixeira and Odinga Lumumba, where they met with residents at the Watooka House. The team later paid visits to burnt out sites in the community.
The minister said that when he was the Commissioner at Guyana Geology and Mines, he took a team to the Linden community where he met with residents at the Constabulary Hall and encouraged them to take out mining lands. He also reminded them that it was he who said that in order for them to be a part of the growing mining sector, they needed to equip themselves, and where necessary, receive the training to occupy jobs in the sector.
Minister Benn also pointed out the suggestion to residents that young men in the area be trained in the operation of excavators, a skill that is at all times needed in the mining sector and for which operators are paid handsomely.
He reminded also that under the leadership of the Minister of Labour, almost 200 young people were trained in many different areas at the Linden Technical Institute. He said that it remains a sad and disappointing thing to hear people claiming their inability to find jobs in Region 10 and noted that while the government will remain committed to ensuring that the economic climate in the region is stimulated, persons need to get up and get.
He said that at the moment he has people from Linden working with his ministry on the Amila Falls Road which has been held up for almost a month now. Benn noted that the project remains critical, and once the road is completed, and subsequently the hydropower dam, Linden will be the first community to benefit; and hopefully, the electricity for the community could be lower than the proposed amount presently being touted by the government.
He also made mention of the fiber optic cable and the Linden/ Lethem road, for which a feasibility study has been recently concluded.
Benn said that he is prepared and willing to stand up, any place at anytime, to defend his work in the community of Linden and the mines as well. He will also always defend the work of the PPP/C Government in Linden.
The facts as they relate to the government’s input in Linden will come out, Minister Ben added. He said that Linden is at the peak and cusp of its development and that is being destroyed by certain extremists on the ground.