LINDEN and indeed Region 10 have had their fair share of development, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), whose aim is to ensure that citizens receive the needed services to improve their lives.The PPP/C Administration promised Lindeners that it will deliver jobs, and according to Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, the government has been so doing.

While highlighting some of the factors that have contributed to this development, Minister Edghill emphasised that the recently commissioned Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI) Kurubuka mine, located immediately adjoining to the Berbice River, will see several hundreds of direct jobs being created.

BCGI, a subsidiary of the Russian company, RUSAL has invested over $4.6 billion on the mine. Surrounding communities stand to benefit as hundreds of Guyanese are currently employed by the company.
“BCGI will be providing 506 direct jobs, plus hundreds of other jobs, because people have to supply food, cleaning and other auxiliary services to the BCGI. From 2009 to 2014, BGCI invested close to US$98 million into the investment in Aroaima area,” Minister Edghill pointed out.

He further stated that while bauxite has been a major contributor of job creation, the forestry sector has also played its part. To this end, the government has created the environment for foreign investors to inject money in this area, so much so that even the government’s worst critic, the Kaieteur News, has highlighted the magnitude of what is taking place in the sector.

“Logs don’t fall by themselves; trucks don’t just drive by themselves, tractors and skidders and the boats don’t operate by themselves, all of those are jobs, and so when you think about foreign investments and joint venture arrangements between locals and these partners who have provided financing and machinery, they have made significant investments in Region 10,” Minister Edghill explained.

However, he said more jobs could have been created had other projects been on stream, for example, the wood processing facility at Conception that was to be created by Bai Shan Lin, but a number of factors have contributed to its non-completion.

“When we looked at the investment agreement of BCGI, Bai Shan Lin, the deep water harbour and the paving of the Linden/Lethem road and how they will open up opportunities…once that road is open and there is a deep water harbour, there have to be hotels, restaurants, service stations, personal care, and food supplies,” Minister Edghill stressed.

The minister emphasised that government is working to ensure that there is cooperation from all stakeholders to engender confidence, so that the necessary investments in Linden and Region 10 can be made.

While these projects have sought to create jobs for residents in the region, the communities themselves have also benefited, and are almost sharing the profits.

At Aroaima and Hururu, the bauxite company maintains the schools. In the case of Hururu, electricity is supplied to the residents and the community provides certain services in a trade of manner. (GINA)