The Private Sector Commis-sion (PSC) has said that it is in full support of the agreement by government and the Region Ten administration for the development of Linden, while adding that it is ready to offer help for the implementation.
“The challenge ahead is that all parties to the agreement ensure its sustainability and adhere faithfully to its terms and timelines,” the PSC said in a statement issued on Thursday, while noting its willingness to offer administrative and technical support for the implementation of the terms of the agreement.
On Tuesday, the government and the Region Ten leadership sealed the agreement, which addresses the electricity tariffs in Linden that set off protests in the town, economic development, television broadcasting, and regional land selection.
At the signing, Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon noted the concern “about the PPP’s infamous track record on implementing agreements,” and said that the region would hold the administration, national leaders and civil society accountable for ensuring that there is implementation.
In its statement, the PSC said it was pleased that an agreement was reached, although it should have been done much earlier and the loss of lives that resulted from the situation should have been avoided.
“The PSC is in full support of the terms of the agreement which have taken onboard all of the original recommendations offered by the Commission,” it said.
At the same time, it said that the “very unfortunate and unavoidable conflict” in Linden has done considerable harm to the Linden community as well as the image of the country. “Business enterprise and business investment, upon which employment in the community depends and upon which the foundation of future economic development must be built, has been seriously compromised,” it said, while adding that the challenge now is to restore confidence in the community and to rebuild general investor confidence in Guyana.
“The challenge now is that all the parties concerned, the government, [and] the parliamentary opposition, the representatives of the people of Linden pledge themselves to restore confidence in the Linden community and strive to rebuild general investor confidence in Guyana,” it said, while pointing out that the conflict in Linden caused considerable harm to surrounding communities and enterprises in the hinterland, including the mining, forestry and tourist industries.
