— mining town residents, officials urge

RESIDENTS of Linden as well as regional officials are calling on the relevant authorities to relocate the Mahdia Bus Park which is presently located on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, to Linden.
This, they say, will bring tremendous economic and social benefits to the mining town, which is lacking.
According to Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland, there is a wealth of benefits attached to the park’s relocation and the regional authorities are just awaiting word from Central Government to have the asphalt plant transported to Linden so as to pave the spot earmarked for the park.

This, he revealed as being on Burnham Drive, opposite the Wismar Municipal Market.
“We are hoping that before 2017 comes to an end, we can get that park set… some of the Mahdia buses are already using the Mackenzie shore as the launch pad for the interior, so we are hoping that we can use the Wismar shore to bring some more traffic to Wismar and the Wismar Market area, so we are hoping to get that done before 2017,” Holland said.
He revealed that a promise was made to have the park paved since the last administration and efforts were made to remind the Ministry of Communities through Permanent Secretary Emil McGarrell to push the initiatives.
“The park will bring great benefits, the buses plying the interior route will be here, persons will come out, they will be able to shop, they will be stopping in Linden, several industries can benefit, we believe that if the park is now at Wismar, that we will see great benefits coming to the people of Linden.”
Holland also highlighted that he discussed the issue with Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase Green, where he cited the issue of the congestion at the current park in Georgetown.

Residents had expressed interest in the park being relocated to Linden during an outreach with Minister of Finance Winston Jordon earlier in the year.
They explained that Linden is starved of benefits, being the gateway to the interior and the relocation of the park will open avenues for such benefits.
A driver at Mahdia told Guyana Chronicle that many of his colleagues are from Linden and the move will not only be beneficial to the town, but will bring convenience to them, being closer to home.

The driver added that passengers plying the route are residing all over Guyana, but 50 per cent are persons from Linden.
If the park is relocated, he explained that many persons in the town will benefit such as the vendors, taxi drivers, hotels, restaurants and gas stations, among others.