Dear Editor,
The management of Church’s Chicken in Linden, situated in Co-op Crescent, formerly JP Santos, may have glossed over erecting a safety device in the open space along the river bank outside the building. This landmark building, once a general store that provided valuable service to the Linden community for many years has gone, and is now managed by Church’s Chicken. It has as its immediate neighbour the Demerara River on one side, the building having been erected along its bank. In good taste, Church’s has made an effort to make their surroundings more scenic and leisurely for customers, by providing tables/chairs along the riverside, which in my judgment is precariously close, especially when the tide is high. While this may not be too much of a danger to grown-ups, it could be for children.

Editor, my concern was captured when recently I watched some children between the ages of 4 and 8 who were taken out on a treat having fun. They were running along the edge and pelting stones in a competitive manner into the river; jostling each other and unaware of the danger at hand. One careless shove, a slip and the scene could have become completely ugly – and the water was high! By way of this letter I’m appealing to the management of Church’s to look into the safety factor, and the need to erect a railing or fence along the riverside which is approximately 30 yards long. A stitch in time saves nine, so let’s make this area safe for the kids.

Next, the beautification of the river front:

I have before commended the Town Council and those responsible for the construction of railings, pavement, benches and large rocks to beautify the river front along the same Coop Crescent, where one can relax and observe the river traffic – ships, tugboats, large/small boats, canoes – or just gaze upon the water’s placid flow, or on the other side with its high hills. Sadly, this riverside scenery is becoming uglier with each passing day. It is strewn with refuse of all sorts: plastic bags, bottles, large cardboards, tin cans, salt bags, greens, provisions, rotten onions and potatoes, and of course, the king of them all – styrofoam boxes/cups.

It is as if this river front beautification is now a garbage haven! Sometimes one has to even choose a spot carefully since the atmosphere can be rather offensive. And while the people who contribute to this deplorable state are the guilty ones who must be fully blamed for such uncaring and irresponsible behaviour, the Mayor and Town Council must also share some of the blame.

Why not keep constables on the beat 24/7, to arrest and penalize with high fines. This should be implemented after a relentless one-month advertisement campaign on TV and billboards. They should go into schools and drill the students so that they become aware; after such an exercise there can be no excuse.

Also the M&TC must frequently clean this area, not allowing shrubs and whatever to take over the rocks.

But it has also been observed that taxi-drivers who now use this river front as a park add even more to this disgusting site by way of their boisterous and profane, vulgar conversation with regard for none whatsoever! And this is just not acceptable.

Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe