Dear Editor,
This is a response to an article in the Stabroek News on April 17, 2023, under the headline “Linden seems to be ignored in ‘One Guyana’ theme – Mayor”, where in a press release, the Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, is quoted as saying “the town of Linden appears to be excluded from the government’s ‘One Guyana’ theme as numerous requests for assistance for its annual week of activities have been ignored.”
It is appalling to know that after two local government elections and six years in the Linden Municipality, Linden’s mayor still doesn’t understand her role at the Linden Municipality and that of the central government. So, please permit me to educate the Mayor of Linden again about the role of the municipality in the town because it seems like my efforts for the three of the six years in which I served with her and pleaded with the entire council to read Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Councils Act went in vain, and my words fell on deaf ears.
Simply put, a municipality is the response of the state or government to the needs of the people for certain public services, for example, waste disposal, police and fire protection, water supply, health services etc., in addition to what is available at the regional or other local governments level.
Now tell me how the annual Linden Town Week entertainment event is the government’s responsibility, let alone its Ministers’ or ministries’ concern. These entertainment events allow corporate society to give back to their supporters and promote their businesses. Therefore, the organizing and execution of these activities by default are entirely private and solely at the expense of the municipality and whichever private or public company/companies wish to sponsor. So, madam Mayor don’t try to shift the blame to the government for you and your council’s inability to attract sponsors to support your town week event.
Waneka, you and I know that the Mayor & Town Council has commercialized the Linden Town Week events at the expense of Linden businesses for which it was meant to benefit. You exploit them by charging them from $15,000 per day, per spot, to as high as $50,000 for residents to vend during the town week period. For those who can’t afford your vending fees, those spots are sold to businesses from out of Linden, and now you come trying to score cheap political points by blaming the government. Why don’t you take this media time to explain to the residents of Linden what you and the council have been doing with the money from the Town Week hosted by the council for the past six years that you were a part of? Or what you did with the $20 million of unused funds released to the M&TC for the Centennial Park?
Speak the truth and speak it ever, cost it what it will. Linden has never looked brighter and better under the PNCR/APNU like it now looks under the PPP/C, and that’s the truth. Before the PPP/C in 1992, Linden was no better than it was under the days of “Ban-am” people having to stand in long lines for everything, even down to cow milk. Before 1992, Burnham Drive Wismar was impassable, especially at the Wismar police station area, and it was under the PPP/C’s government that it was repaired. The Wismar Market was rehabilitated, and a new Mackenzie Market was constructed. Many roads, bridges, drains and culverts were built before 2015, and you are talking about Linden being ignored.
Waneka, you and your council are the ones who refrain from working with the government to develop the town of Linden. That it is being ignored is because you want to politicize everything instead of seeing how the development could help the people you are supposed to be serving. Since 2017, we all complained that the Granger Government had abandoned Linden and placed more focus on Bartica. Now here you are accusing this administration of supporting the Bartica Regatta and the Lethem Rodeo. I was reliably informed that companies like Farmer’s Supplies, ExxonMobil, and Grill King heavily invested in the Bartica Regatta 2023. The Lethem Rodeo was no different, as private investors seized the opportunity to showcase their products and services. This was all made possible by the hard work of the organizers who hosted those events.
Madam Mayor, shame on you, for spewing lies and misinformation to mislead residents regarding the government’s One Guyana Initiative. You and the PNCR/APNU have ignored Linden for six years. Residents have been bitterly crying for better representation, accountability and transparency: better services and a chance to meet their local officials and councillors and to date, only one town hall was held (virtually), two weeks ago for the first time since you became Mayor, just because of Local Government Elections.
Imagine Lindeners have seen more government ministers than their municipal, regional and parliamentary representatives combined. Shame on all of you! So, don’t shift the blame; accept responsibility for the part you have played in the PNC’s betraying of the trust of the local electorate in their stronghold.
Yours respectfully
Lennox Gasper
Former APNU+AFC Municipal
Councillor
