THE Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arindell, is a mother, a mayor, a teacher, a wife and a volunteer, tasks that are cut out for her and it is quite an uphill undertaking, but she is not fazed and is up for the challenge and whatever else comes with these titles.

Arindell has been residing in Green Valley Village for the past 16 years and she is originally from Wisroc, Wismar.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that even though she took a while to be integrated into the village, the people have the community spirit and they are cooperative.

Arindell added that what is known about Green Valley is that it is a mined-out area that is not regularised and has two large natural springs and many smaller ones, a hilltop and a valley.

The mother of three relocated to Green Valley after marriage; her husband is a local and it has become her home, a place that needs just the right bit of development.

Arindell stated that Green Valley Village is small with just about 50 houses and not more than 200 residents, most of whom have lived their entire lives in the valley and there are hardly any newcomers.

“This is a quiet place and it is tranquil and even if there is discord among the people, it is settled quickly because they want development in the village they call home,” she said.

The mayor stated that in Green Valley there are a lot of teachers and other public servants, because there are no other job opportunities to explore.

She disclosed that in Linden in general there is a high level of unemployment and getting a job often means leaving the region.

“After completing University of Guyana in 2002 I didn’t have a stable government job until 2016 when I got employment with the Mayor and Town Council of Linden,” she said.

This is her fourth year as mayor and she believes that others should be trained to become mayors as well after a few years because that is the only way they can foster development and allow others to broaden their scope.

Arindell revealed that being a woman mayor is not easy because it is a role often dominated by men, and when they took over the Mayor and Town Council of Linden after 10 years it was managed by an Interim Management Committee and the foundation was built from scratch and it is what it is today.

She disclosed that there is a total of 40,000 people who reside in Linden alone and there are 40 villages within Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

Arindell reported that in Linden they have two mines and two valleys and her goal is to transform Linden into a tourist destination, since it is indeed a beautiful place and to have more open spaces such as parks and recreational facilities.

She added that things can be done to clean up the place a bit and several projects are being undertaken to beautify the township.

The mayor opined that to provide employment for locals in Linden, the de-centralisation of industries should take place and it is time to look beyond politics to meet the needs of the people.

Arindell stated that there are eight constituencies in Linden and the people are desperate for equal opportunities as they relate to employment and facilities.

She added that there is also the need for thinking outside the box when it comes to entrepreneurship to promote more service-based businesses.

“The lack of jobs in Linden has forced a lot of people out the town and some remained and started their own small businesses that are often stagnant, because of the economic hardships,” she said.

Arindell noted that she would like to see Linden become a model town, a place where both locals and tourists can visit to enjoy the scenery and the warmth of the people, since they are rich in culture, sports, resources and it is the perfect location for tourist adventures such as bird-watching, sight-seeing, the lakes, mines and many other outdoor activities.

Presently, a synthetic track is being constructed in Wismar and they have an indoor basketball court; they have an under-utilised airstrip and the people have so much to offer in terms of local arts, craft and products.

The Mayor and Town Council has 15 councillors and the administrative staff and Arindell said she has learned a lot since she took office, but there is still so much to be done to develop Linden.

Volunteerism

Meanwhile, there is a softer, more benevolent side to the mayor, who is a volunteer within Linden and is presently engaged in activities to make the stay of 17 girls from the Haurauni Girls Home comfortable.

These girls are housed in Richmond Hill and they haven’t been out for a year and the mayor and others decided to brighten their lives by hosting them for the extended Easter weekend in Linden.

The lot was treated to kite-flying, ice cream, treats, sigh-seeing and other tours; meals were prepared by the mayor and others and the girls were feted fully;

In addition, counselling sessions and other motivational talks took place where the mayor and others including, religious leaders were present to make their contribution to the girls.

The mayor related that some of the girls have attained the age of 18 and they are in the process of putting in place a contingency plan to have these teens re-integrated into society.

The school teacher
Arindell is also a teacher at the Wisburg Secondary School and holds a degree in Geography; she is a Social Studies teacher who is very passionate about literacy.

She is attached to Grade Seven and would participate in virtual teaching as well as classroom sessions at least twice weekly.

Arindell reported that online learning has been very challenging, because the students haven’t been receptive in most instances because it doesn’t have the face-to-face impact as in a classroom setting.

“The hardest part of being a teacher is having to teach at school and online, then going home to teach your own children,” she said.

Juggling all these titles hasn’t been easy on the mayor, who is often engaged in meetings in the office setting and still have to return home to do chores and cooking.

“I managed because I have a good support system and love being an educator, since I still have to earn and with COVID-19 it has been some trying times coping,” she said.

Arindell would also lend support to assist children to read and slow learners and presently she has taken in a young boy to tutor him at her home.