For how long must this abominable situation be endured?

Oct 28, 2009 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Orrin Gordon’s letter to Kaieteur News, Thursday Oct 8th 2009, “Lindeners must wake up to the clear causes of injustices”, must surely be of concern for all Lindeners and is one which I fully support. It was quite heartening seeing such a letter coming from a top functionary within our community, as I have always been rough on leaders in our community for not being bold and forthright, in taking a firm stand in discharging their responsibility as a matter of right or wrong.
Mr. Gordon from his recent letters seems to be moving in this direction, which is good, and should be emulated by others elected/selected. Correct is Gordon when he says “Lindeners, Aroiama and Kwakwani residents as well as those persons working in the intermediate Savannahs should note and agitate” for a set of changes which will better serve them. But he is much more on the ball when he posed the question, “do people have to behave bad to be heard and get their due?” The answer is a resounding yes! I see it no other way in the light of how things seem to be happening.
Let me say that I had intended some months back to write on this Linden-Ituni-Kwakwani road condition which I had the unpleasant opportunity to experience – a mere nightmare! It was a journey beyond anyone’s imagination/expectation, considering that Linden, Ituni, Aroiama and intermediate communities are quite populated places which have been in existence for eons – with people having to travel back and forth, to and fro everyday to attend to their daily lives.
Had this trail been along some remote, scantily inhabited place in the jungle it would have been easy for one to accept, but between a town and sizable communities, in this day and age. No way! Shameful. It was one of the worst trips I’ve ever encountered which cannot be easily explained by anyone who has not seen that trail – a sad excuse for a road – a living hell. At certain parts water flows over the road like a river, at another point there is harsh erosion. In the rainy season may Jesus be your shepherd.
The journey indeed is a torture, and as a frequent traveler said to me, “you have to know the road”. Gordon mentioned his journey taking 31/2 hours, but that is for drivers who “know the road” and can maneuver well, when there is no rain/wet road which then could take up to 5-6 hours, as was my experience.
Please understand that this description I’m trying to give is no exaggeration, very large heavy-duty vehicles and logging trucks pound this trail soft, there are extremely large craters like lakes, broken off gully-like drops which make it difficult for small vehicles/minibuses to complete this journey without significant wear and tear, broken parts etc, some vehicles get severely damaged in just 2-3 trips.
Drivers must become road sergeants as part of the deal to survive this trail. Starting from Linden to Ituni is terrible; from Ituni to Kwakwani is a horror. And while the fare for transportation is hard on commuters/residents ($2,000 per trip), it is not unreasonable. But the worst is yet to come.
Just imagine what it is like when it comes to transporting patients. Even if the ambulance manages to make it without being stuck or breaking down, the long, tumbling and hazardous journey does the patient no good; in fact it worsens their condition, depending on their complaint – not to mention expectant mothers. Yet I cannot say that people have come to accept the sad state of affairs – it is just that they are at lost as to what to do, or who to turn to. I think that they will have to behave bad.
Anyone in authority, who has experienced this Linden-Kwakwani trail, would most certainly be moved to help find as quickly as possible, ways to improve this condition which is so stressful for residents. For how long must this abominable road situation be endured?
Gordon also raised a main concern – the “Stimulus Package” that was drawn up for this community and got taken away; the $200 million that was allocated for the building of this road; the grader that was to be purchased and used exclusively for this project; the hired Linden-based trucks to transport the road-building materials; the Linmine Secretariat that should have been spearheading this exercise; the labour from the local communities and the indigenous road-building materials found openly in the area, etc. Why were all these things not done according to agreement? These are the things our leaders must see to speak up for or against.
Someone not so long ago drew my attention to a large business entity that was recently renovated, in which all building material and labour were brought from elsewhere, and nothing and no one from this community was involved. This should not be tolerated. Similarly, there should be explicit rules regarding large contracts given out; except for administration and special technical skill/expertise, basic skills, raw labour and where possible quality materials with negligible additional cost that can be had from the community should be utilized. And yes, quality of work must be a given.
We must not only be seen as worthy of breaking down road signs and advertisement billboards, we have people who are equally good at erecting them also.
But honestly, the only way I think that we will be able to pull things back in line, is for us to be principled and behave bad.
Frank Fyffe

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