FINALLY, after a month-long political crisis in Linden, an agreement has been reached  for an expected formal signing tomorrow to begin the very challenging and costly task of getting the bauxite mining town back to functioning in a stable social, political and economic climate. At least, to a level that could dissipate, as soon as reasonably possible the gripping tension that followed the turmoil, deaths and injuries, destruction of properties by

arsonists and other criminal activities amid some quite dangerous competitive politicking win hearts and minds.
However, even as the terms of reference for the accord hammered out by the administration of President Donald Ramotar, the main parliamentary opposition, APNU, and the Region Ten Council were being initialed, ominous signals were emanating from elements within the minority parties of Alliance for Change (which has seven seats in the 65-member House) and the  Working People’s Alliance (a component of APNU).
While the Chinese-owned BOASI Minerals — forced to slow down operations by a combination of blocked key transportation routes, recurring acts of  arson and clashes between protesters with security forces — Lindeners were counting their losses from criminal activities. These included destruction of government and private properties, as well as a primary school that caters to the needs of some 830 pupils.
In contrast, the WPA’s Dr David Hinds — otherwise noted for an admirable capacity to analyse social/political issues — was urging residents of Buxton to block public roads, as of yesterday morning, in “solidarity with Lindeners”

Of Hinds & Ramjattan
In a report yesterday by a well-known local journalist, Denis Scott Chabrol of ‘demerarawaves’ Online news service — recently unfairly associated by some government officials with “reckless journalism” by at least two others involved in the local electronic media — WPA’s Hinds was quoted as boasting to Buxtonians:
“One thing Lindeners learn from us (Buxtonians) is how to barricade roads; how to dig up roads. I don’t have to teach you all in Buxton how to do that…”
Earlier, before the initialing of Friday’s accord, involving the government, opposition APNU and Region Ten Council, the AFC’s leader, Khemraj  Ramjattan, was  happily engaged in a different kind of boastful political talk.
He was  reported in the ‘Stabroek News’ of August 10 as reaffirming his call for the terms of reference for an independent commission of inquiry into the shooting deaths of three protesters of the mining town to exclude ANY (my emphasis) reference to who may have “organized, mobilized or promote the protest on July 18 (day of deaths and injuries)…”
Well, as if to further justify his stand, Ramjattan (a most bitter defector from the PPP) was further reported as telling the local media last Thursday (the same day President Ramotar was meeting with Lindeners at Watooka House):
“Even if Ramjattan went up there (in Linden) and organised the thing (the ‘thing’ for which he does not wish to be referenced in the probe’s terms of reference), what’s wrong with that? It is the exercise of a constitutional right…”
In the circumstances, is it any wonder, therefore, that Ramjattan was not involved in the settlement accord that’s scheduled to be formally signed tomorrow?

Commissioner Brummel
Naturally, we would have to await the outcome of the coming independent probe into the shooting deaths of the Linden trio, for which acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brummel is still awaiting statements from persons who had originally claimed as having “witnessed” the killings by the police.
But of  immediate importance is Commissioner Brummel’s terse warning to WPA activists like David Hinds in urging Buxton villagers to block or dig up pubic roads, as occurred in Linden.
The Commissioner, who has been quite forthcoming in his public statements to ensure a law-and-order environment, and not restricted to developments in Linden, teasingly dared political activists like Hinds to position “themselves on the frontline” of those they were urging to block and dig up roads.
In the thinking of the ‘Top Cop’, activists like Hinds “are timid, and refuse to take risks like protesters…” Some of these persons, he said, “[are] just riling up the people, and they who are riling it up are not there. If you are a leader, stand up with the people…” (“demerarawaves”)
Meanwhile, as Guyana in general awaits the unfolding of new initiatives to restore, as quickly as possible, normal living in conditions in Linden with expectations of improvement in various areas, hundreds of residents in the mining town chose to participate in a ceremony on Friday night in memory of the trio (Ron Sommerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Lewis) killed on July18.