Dear Editor,
I refer to captioned article “Protestors heckle PPP budget meeting at Linden”, as reported in Kaieteur News dated December 02, 2017.
As a democrat, I support the right of any political party to travel to any region in this country to have its particular point of view heard. Therefore, it is not that I have personal objections to the PPP/C sending its representatives to Linden; but it is its barefacedness in doing so.

What can their spokespersons have reasonably said to that small gathering of supporters at the mining town’s Constabulary Hall, about BUDGET 2018; I wonder? I understand that one of the issues this visiting group of hypocrites raised was about the 2018 financial estimates not having any relief for the unemployed youth in the mining town.

Do they believe that the people of that region are so stupid, sentimental, and daft, not to read through their devious strategy? What did they ever do for this town and its citizens?
As a once vibrant community where the best wages were at one time paid in this country, Linden is but a shadow of that former socio–economic glory. Notwithstanding the decline in Bauxite prices on the world market, it has been an experience of steady decline to the point where Linden has been described as a depressed community, with joblessness being a gloomy indicator of this downturn.

Editor, there were so many appeals to the PPP/C government for assistance to this town to bring relief to its citizens. It is a shameful indictment of former Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, who worked for many years in the bauxite company. As Prime Minister for the entire 23 years of his PPP/C government, the town of Linden had been made to suffer.

Let me illustrate how politically vindictive, and racist the former PPP/C government has been to Linden, particularly. The tax-free overtime and premium hours work-benefit was fought for by bauxite workers and their unions in 1988, during the Desmond Hoyte administration, and was extended to the sugar workers. The Bharrat Jagdeo government took this away from bauxite workers and retained it for sugar workers.And this attribute has been a common denominator to all communities that are Afro-Guyanese–a deliberate neglect.

It is now a matter of record that the then Corbin-led PNC/R opposition party did not perform well at the 2006 national polls, as reflected by its parliamentary seat reduction. Moreover, the party suffered a shock reduction of poll support in the mining town. Smart politics would have dictated any wise government an opportunity to begin socio-economic interventions with a view of not only administering dire-needed assistance, but also garnering political support.

Instead, at the 2011 poll, PPP/C Donald Ramotar – led ticket, campaigned heavily at Linden, believing that the region had been ready to fall into its electoral support basket. At one of the rallies, Ramotar even promised to create 2000 jobs. How could they have such an expectation, given the neglect of the Town continued, with its residents suffering?
In addition, the vexed issue of residents being made to access the sole State-owned television channel, rather than being afforded other signals for their choice. Their many pleas and representations fell on deaf ears.

I almost forgot the vexed issue of the termination of the over 60 bauxite workers and their union’s repeated requests for an arbitration which were flatly refused.
Then came 2012; Lindeners rebelled, and some of their townsfolk were shot down like dogs in the street. Did the Ramotar government care?

I am heartened at the stance which those few Lindeners took against Juan Edghill and his visiting cabal. Particularly satisfying was, I think, one of the placards which asked whether Jagdeo “think” that the people were stupid. “Jagdeo leave Linden alone. Let us shine. You failed us.” Another said, “Be mindful of the monster Jagdeo.” Residents then turned up the protest, chanting “No PPP, No PPP.”

These actions signal general awareness among the town folk that the PPP/C had ignored their pleas when in government and are now attempting to play sympathizer with their deviously hypocritical selves. The entire mind set and approach of the then government towards the Town, mirrors that well-known PPP/C brand of vindictiveness and spite, because of the Town’s known historical political, support base.

There is much to be done at Linden, because of the decades of criminal neglect which has been the lot of its residents. A positive has been the newly-installed Municipality that has been leading efforts at renewing the environment. There are other initiatives such as the laying of vital infrastructure–this and other measures will bring jobs to the community. Though the challenges are many, Linden and its residents can do without the hypocrites led by Juan Edghill.

Regards
Earl Hamilton