Transforming the construction sector with interlocking bricks

Sep 04, 2016 News

By Enid Joaquin
Robert Cameron is a retired remigrant with no intention of hanging up his gloves

Cameron demonstrates brick-laying for a walkway.

anytime soon. Instead, he has his eyes and hands set on transforming the construction sector, with interlocking bricks.
These beautifully smooth, reddish brown blocks facilitate faster and cheaper construction, and buildings that are so durable, they can last up to four hundred years, Cameron boasts.
But back to the man behind the blocks – this erstwhile electronic engineer initially worked with computers in London, where he lived for more than fifty years.
“I was employed by a very small firm where I designed IBM memory boards, then, later I worked for another company called Decision Data, an American company In Britain.”
After his tenure at Decision Data, Cameron got involved in contractual work, where he offered his services to several entities. The money was good, he says, but the job satisfaction just wasn’t there.
However the opportunity for job satisfaction would ironically present itself, after his retirement.
“After I retired I asked myself, is this it? All of a sudden I was not going to work, and I

Blocks ready for the market.

had all this time on my hands, so I started looking for ways to occupy myself. Then I came back to Guyana, and I looked at what was happening in the housing sector, and right away I knew I wanted to do something in that area.”
That is when it dawned on him that he could do something that would significantly impact construction cost and time, and the answer was of course “interlocking bricks”.
At the time, Cameron was living in Georgetown, but he realized that pursuing his dream would mean relocating to a place where raw materials were readily available. The answer was Linden.
There he found an abundance of bauxite waste and laterite, and a place that was readily available for him to set up his business.
His initiative was welcomed by Regional leaders, who recognized the positive impact that it would have on both the construction and employment sectors.
So it was that ‘Linden Bricks ‘was born.
Located in Amelia’s Ward, the small manufacturing entity presently employs thirteen

Cameron with his son Dexter (right) and a worker, checking out some blocks.

persons – both male and female.
A recent visit to the site, was a sight for sore eyes – thousands of finished blocks stacked neatly together, spoke volumes of the incredible work that goes on from day to day.
Cameron was high in praise of his employees, and pointed out that with the necessary support he could expand the business and employ up to fifty persons.
“I need a larger factory, so it means that I would have to get the requisite land space. We’re working here for now, but this place is being rented, so I need land so that I could expand.
He is also appealing to the relevant authorities to consider the granting of concessions, especially as it relates to the crossing of the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge.
Cameron pointed out that a lot of the bauxite waste and laterite that is used in making the blocks are found on the Wismar shore, hence the necessity of crossing the bridge often.
FASTER CONSTRUCTION, LOWER COSTS
Cameron proudly admits that building with his interlocking bricks reduces construction time by more than half and significantly reduces cost, as it eliminates the need to paint. Also, less cement is required, as there is no need to plaster.
He reflected that interlocking blocks gained momentum after the devastating tsunami a couple of years ago, where the need arose for materials that facilitated faster construction and cheaper costs.
Some of the advantages of using the blocks include, Green technology – there is zero carbon emission, energy efficiency, uses local available materials, reduces the need for skilled labour, maximizes the use of unskilled labour, faster to build – shortens construction time, creates local employment, permits self-help construction or community-based projects. The blocks can be used on all types of buildings.
Cameron is convinced that building with interlocking blocks “will really take off, as they are beautiful to look at, require no paint and keep interiors cool. But probably most important of all is the fact that the average family would be able to construct their own home, as the process of ‘locking’ the blocks is very simple.
“All you need is a skilled person to handle the foundation and the roof… and the rest you can do!” Cameron posited.
To find out more, interested persons can contact Mr. Cameron online at www.lindenbricks.com or telephone number 609 -8702.

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