Linden IMC up in arms against Works Ministry

Aug 02, 2009 News

…as the power saws topple age-old signs

Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of Linden, Orrin Gordon, has expressed shock and anger, at what he describes as the highhanded manner in which the Ministry of Works took upon themselves, to “mow down” signs and billboards, which had adorned the shoulders of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, in the vicinity of Millie’s Hideout and Amelia’s Ward.

Gordon said that the demolition was undertaken without even consulting with his Council or the Regional Democratic Council.

While Gordon acknowledged that the billboards were on government reserves, he pointed out that they came under the jurisdiction of the Region Ten administration, and as such consultation on the issue would have been the proper thing to do.

‘’We cannot countenance this sort of behaviour being displayed by the Ministry of Works. They cannot just send their people into communities, and in this highhanded manner, do what they want, without proper consultation.

“Such a situation is totally untenable, and disrespectful, to say the least, and I am not going to accept these sorts of atrocities.”

Those signs were not in any way hindering or impeding the flow of traffic, neither were they a threat to the safety of commuters; Gordon said. Instead, they were a sort of adornment to the highway, which people had grown accustomed to, he said.

These signs were the first thing that one saw upon entering Linden, almost like a sort of welcome home sign and they also served as a guide to first time visitors to Linden, Gordon declared angrily.

The Interim Management Committee Chairman said that he was flabbergasted while on his way back to Linden, to see officials from the Ministry of works, with acetylene torches and hand saws, cutting down the signs and loading them into trucks.

Most of the signs had already been cut down by then, Gordon said, so he made his way to the Town council, where he questioned the acting Town Clerk, Edward Cedrino whether he knew anything about the issue.

Cedrino, according to Gordon, said that he only became aware of what was happening, after a supervisor whom he had sent out to measure the very signs to determine the amount of revenue to be paid to the council by the various companies, went back and told him, that the signs were being cut down.

Gordon described the act as a hegemonic one where the state is imposing its will on the municipalities. He blasted this state of affairs as totally unacceptable, and cited other issues where Government Ministries have come into Linden and embarked on programmes and projects, without even consulting officials of the town and regional administration.

When things don’t go well, as they often do, it is the regional administration that is answerable to the people of Linden.

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Linden IMC up in arms against Works Ministry

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