Lindeners urged to take care of environment

Jul 01, 2019 News

Riverfront crucial to Development… Joseph Harmon

By Enid Joaquin

“We are world class; we have been identified as one of the five fastest growing economies in the world. When you add to this, the number one ecotourism destination in the world, we are world class!”
These were the words of encouragement shared with Lindeners, by Director General in the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.
Harmon pointed to a recent visit by the International Monetary Fund in June, and its assessment of Guyana’s economic development. According to Harmon, the IMF said that the country was on the right track, having recorded in 2018, a 4.1 percent economic growth, the fastest growth rate in this part of the world.
He was at the time delivering the feature address at the opening of the Linden Riverfront Festival on Friday.
Standing in for President David Granger, who was expected to grace the occasion, Harmon told the excited crowd gathered at the river, in front the Wismar Market, that Government is committed to developing Riverfronts across Guyana, and alluded to such developments that have already taken place, at Bartica and Supenaam.

The Watooka Club/Complex
(Guest House)

He posited that riverfronts are crucial to the overall development of any community, and exhorted residents to take care of theirs.
Harmon encouraged Lindeners to celebrate the Riverfront, and bemoaned the practice of many persons who built their houses, backing the river.
This, he posited, was peculiar to our people, and an unwise practice, as Riverfronts add to the aesthetics of properties, and hence increase their value!
Acknowledging that the Riverfront festival is a laudable initiative, Harmon expressed concern over the pollution of our waterways, through the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, including plastic, and committed to implementing policies to eradicate this.
“By 2021, we are going to ban single-use plastics in Guyana and this of course will impact our rivers and waterways,” he declared.
Harmon reflected on a recent visit to Singapore, a country, where several years ago, garbage in one of that country’s rivers was so dense that one could almost walk across.
However, today, there is no garbage to be seen anywhere, he noted.
This all came about, after a challenge was thrown out by the Government to the people of that country, to stop littering and to clean up their environment.
Economic Development
The Demerara River, which runs through Linden, with Mackenzie on its eastern bank and Wismar on the west, has always been crucial to the development of the town.
So crucial in fact, that without it, the transhipment of bauxite to overseas markets would have proven problematic.
But even before the advent of bauxite, the river was the sole means of transporting logs to Georgetown and other destinations.
Many persons are advocating for the return of this mode of transportation, to curb the number of accidents that occur on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, yearly.
Tourism Potential
Two of the main tourist attractions in Linden, the Scots Church at Christianburg and the famous Waterwheel, are found on Burnham Drive, Wismar’s main thoroughfare, which runs parallel to the river.
These two important landmarks have been rehabilitated over the years, to maintain much of their original pristine beauty.
Both, established over a hundred years ago, when there was no highway, illustrated then, as it does now, the significance and importance of the river.
Recognising such, Environmentalist Samuel Wright, five years ago, executed his dream of a Riverfront Festival, in celebration of the Demerara River and what it contributes to our lives.
But the Riverfront Festival is not only about what it offers, in terms of recreation.
“We need to protect the river-by safeguarding the creeks and so forth that flows into the river. And in order for us to protect the river, we have to understand it, and something, which we have been doing is destroying the swamps.”
Wright explained that the swamps are the spawning grounds for fish, and so if those are destroyed, this valuable resource would be depleted.
He is currently advocating for a comprehensive Riverfront Development Plan, which he said, should be integral to a regional development plan.
His vision is one that President Granger embraces dearly, having advocated for boardwalks on both sides of the river, to boost the tourism potential of the Town.
In earlier visits to the mining town, the President called on residents to work assiduously to develop the Riverfront in a way that would attract visitors and tourists.
He pledged to give the necessary support towards such initiatives.
Among the developmental plans touted, was the establishment of boardwalks and promenades on both the Mackenzie and Wismar shores.
Some $60M was earmarked for the execution of these developmental projects.
According to Region Ten Executive Officer, Orrin Gordon, the Riverfront Development Project commenced as a maintenance project with a $10.5 M allocation, and is expected to be completed in 2019.
Watooka Complex.
The Watooka Club/Complex (Guest House) is another magnificent landmark gracing the Riverfront in Linden.
This edifice, which has over the years been graced by the most prestigious guests, was recently recommissioned, following a $50 million rehabilitation project.
The facility now boasts a contemporary deck by the riverside.
This much needed upgrade is expected to help boost the tourism Potential of Linden and Region Ten.
Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall said that Bartica has benefitted significantly through the development of the community riverfront. He expressed a willingness to share best practices in this regard, to develop the riverfront in other communities.
“We all have a responsibility to transform this town of yours…We ought to do what it takes to preserve this beauty!” he declared.
Meanwhile Deputy Mayor of New Amsterdam, Wainwright McIntosh, promised to replicate the Riverfront Festival initiative in that town.
Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindel was also high in praise of the Riverfront Festival.
The event includes boxing, cycle racing, a market day, club hopping, fashion, wine tasting and Jazz night, and the much anticipated regatta slated for today.