–spent a whopping $850M on Banks DIH products last year
WITH each passing day, Guyanese are waking up to realise the extent to which they were being deliberately misled through misinformation and nasty propaganda peddled by the combined Opposition.
Even in their traditional strongholds, people are beginning to seriously question their credibility and competence. This is evidenced in the recent failure of their much-touted ‘shut down Linden’ campaign two weeks ago.On January 17, 2014, the main parliamentary Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity, in a press statement continued its rhetoric on the state of the mining township by saying there was ‘pervasive (universal) poverty’. This obviously followed their pronouncements in 2012 that over 70% of Lindeners were unemployed, as part of their campaign to instigate the violent demonstrations which subsequently followed.
This picture that is being painted of a depressed Linden by the opposition and their localized minions differs starkly from an announcement by Banks DIH Limited on Friday during a shareholders meeting in the township.
According to company representatives, revenue generated from sales at its Linden branch for 2013 amounted to G$850M (US$4.250M)

QUOTE: What Linden was when the PPP/C was returned to office in 1992, and where Linden is today is akin to comparing chalk with cheese. When even APNU and their Regional Chairman have been forced to admit the many areas of progress in the mining community under the PPP/C leadership, as was exposed by Old Kai a few days ago, President Donald Ramotar and his Government and Party must know that they are on the right track.

Please bear in mind that APNU has stated, as a matter of fact, that there is ‘pervasive poverty’ in this community of approximately 25,000 to 30,000 residents.
Using the larger figure in a hypothetical analysis, this would mean that every man, woman and child in Linden each spent a little over $28,000 on Banks DIH products in 2013. For a family of four, this would be around $112,000. Not bad by any standard for a community where there is supposed to be large-scale poverty.
One also needs to bear in mind that this is only what they spent on one company; this does not include the other distribution companies such as DDL, ANSA McAl, etc., the many shops, supermarkets, grocery stores, hangout bars, roadside stalls, trips to Georgetown and so on.
Further, it was revealed by Banks DIH that the final tally in revenue saw a $30M increase last year when compared to 2012. In fact, according to the company, “physical sales” amounted to 661, 000 cases of their products, the equivalent of 62,000 cases per month or around 2,000 cases per day. What this can possibly tell us is that each Lindener bought approximately 22 cases of Banks DIH products last year.
Now, these are startling revelations, and no doubt will lead to a lot of teeth gnashing by the political Opposition as they expose their contention for the lie it was all along.
Old Kai, however, is not disputing the fact that there are elements of poverty in Linden, as is the case for any part of our country or world, but clearly, it has been grossly exaggerated by the APNU and AFC alliance. I have seen homeless people and other displays of abject poverty in every major city in First World countries that I have visited thus far.
This is no excuse to justify our reality, but it must be viewed in context. What Linden was when the PPP/C was returned to office in 1992, and where Linden is today is akin to comparing chalk with cheese. When even APNU and their Regional Chairman have been forced to admit the many areas of progress in the mining community under the PPP/C leadership, as was exposed by Old Kai a few days ago, President Donald Ramotar and his Government and Party must know that they are on the right track.
However, in all of this, there was a stark revelation by the Chairman of Banks DIH, Mr. Clifford Reis, as articulated in the media during his address at the Linden gathering. He is quoted as saying, “The results from the second half of the financial year were disappointing, meaning that set targets were not achieved. The reason for this are many and varied, and shows that when the national economy slows up, everyone is affected, as reduced disposable income results in a reduction of spending power. Our company is not exempted from that reality.”
Yes indeed; each and every Guyanese, irrespective of which political party you support or if you are middle or working class, you will be affected whenever the economy falters. While the Banks DIH Chairman never mentioned specifics, all Guyanese are aware of the numerous efforts by the combined Opposition, both inside and outside of Parliament, to harm our economy and chase away investors.
Their much-publicised efforts to kill the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project; chasing away a Brazilian investor; attacks against the Marriott Hotel and the Specialty Hospital; targeting and maligning our professionals; refusing to support the ammended Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, which has effectively placed Guyana on a financial blacklist, have all had a negative impact on our economy.
The extra scrutiny placed on Guyana because of the Opposition’s refusal to support the ammended Bill is beginning to affect all levels of financial transactions for our citizens and companies, and it appears that Banks DIH is also feeling the squeeze.
This warning by the Banks’ Chairman should not be taken lightly, as the effects could have a serious impact. If revenue generation continues to be affected, not only will the Company’s future expansion plans come to a halt and negate job creation possibilities, but it may be forced to let go of those it currently employs in Linden.
Even the average man-on-the-street could easily understand such a reality, which is why Old Kai has maintained all along that this appears to be a deliberate strategy of the Opposition.
Clearly, they are not concerned about the possibility that their actions could affect even their own support base, as is currently the case. Rather, they seem hell-bent on bringing the economy to a standstill, and then conjure up all manner of excuses to blame the PPP/C.
It is heartening to see that more and more supporters of the Opposition are liberating their minds from the clutches of the Opposition and their crass messages which preach division and upheaval. The choice is obvious; it is now entirely up to you!