| By Enid JoaquinA group of Lindeners, mainly women, yesterday took to the streets in the miningSome of the protestors outside the RDC Officetown to protest the impending electricity hike for the area, announced by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh during the recent Budget presentation.The organizers indicated that the peaceful protest is the precursor to a massive one planned for tomorrow, where “every Lindener is expected to take to the streets”.The protesters converged in front of the Linden Utilities Coop Society Limited (LUCSL), which provides electricity for residents on the West Bank or Wismar shore, before marching down the street chanting, “No increase in electricity”, “Ashni eyes pas we” and, “PPP mean fuh punish we”. Apart from the chants the protesters carried placards with similar slogans.The march culminated in front of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Office, where the protesters were addressed by Chairman of Region 10, Sharma Solomon, and Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon.In her brief remarks, Kissoon told the protesters, “As your female representative for this Region I will not rest until we get what we deserve. And what we deserve is nothing but the best. And I want to say that Region 10 is like the most important part of the body, and if you get rid of the important part, you know what will happen. I want to say to you, the struggle has just begun, and we will not give up, we will not rest.”During his address, Solomon told the gathering “The 2012 Budget reflects a level of vindictiveness against the people of Region 10. This Government, instead of giving to poor people; instead of taking VAT away from poor people, or reducing it; instead of giving pensioners and recipients of public assistance more, what they have done is give absolutely nothing to Region 10.“Teachers and Nurses will get nothing, single parents will get nothing. Pensioners and public assistance recipients are being embarrassed with what they are getting. And hear what’s happening… we have no economic expansion, but Government intends to instead put on you a burden of an 800% increase in electricity tariffs.”“Now let me tell you this, I have nothing against those who would be subsidised in this 2012 budget, for example, I believe the sugar workers deserve to be subsidised – those are hard working people, and it is no fault of sugar workers that GuySuCo, based on Skeldon mismanagement, is in the state it is in, but me and you as taxpayers have to pay for that. But here it is that Government intends toAPNU MP Vanessa Kissoon and Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomonincrease the tariffs for electricity. They provide you with nothing, and instead place on you an 800 % increase in electricity tariffs. The question then to ask this Government is “what’s next?”“Because when you implement that, how do you intend for me to pay it? What next? When you give pensioners $600 and public assistance $400, how are they going to pay 800% increase in electricity. People of Region 10, this is totally unacceptable!”Solomon closed his remarks by assuring the people of his intentions to suspend the standing order of Council at the statutory meeting, in order to address the electricity issue.“There is absolutely no matter in Region 10 that’s more important than this right now,Cheap China Jerseys, and we are going to suspend the standing order and deal with this; and every single councilor, whether AFC, APNU or PPP will have to justify to you, the people, why the Government should put 800% increased tariffs on you.” “We want them on record to say how they feel about this and if they support it,” he stated emphatically.Solomon later suspended the standing order of Council at the RDC monthly statutory meeting as promised, to discuss the subsidies and the 2012 budget, particularly as it relates to the proposed electricity hike for Lindeners .The motion was moved by councilor Maurice Butters, seconded by Leslie Gonsalves, and carried by all the other councillors, except one who opted to abstain.Councillor Gonsalves during his presentation pointed out that nothing in the budget “speaks well” for Region 10.Adding that Government is sending a ‘bad signal’ if subsidies are removed without proper justification, he emphasised that the increased tariffs should not even be entertained in Parliament.Charles Sampson who was next, acknowledged that talking about increased electricity tariffs is nothing new, and added that he was well aware of the subsidy by government, “but a lot of subsidies are also given to other parts of the country,” he declared.“An increase was proposed a few years ago, but we opposed that vigorously, because any increase in tariffs is political.“We won’t be able to live in this place because the business people will throw any increase on the consumer – the Government has no consideration.”Sampson alluded to the steam power plant which used Bunker C oil and was “shut down’, but could still be rehabilitated.“This is a spiteful move by Government, and we’re going to resist. This is not a PPP, PNC, or APNU issue, this is an economic issue, and any increase the people can’t afford.”Councillor Maurice Butters reiterated much of what was said by Sampson, and added that if Government was withdrawing subsidy from Linden, but not from GuySuCo, then the move was clearly a political one.Councillor Gittens described the impending hike as a disrespectful and vengeful act that will hurt the region. He pointed to the people that would meet him in the street and beg him “Sir do something – we can’t afford this, ever”.The Regional Vice Chairman called the budget a ‘treacherous act’ that seeks to deprive Region 10.“But we cannot take deprivation anymore. The time has come for our eyes to be opened.The people have elected us to represent them and we must first and foremost make proper representation on their behalf.”Chairman Solomon said that the budget is not a people-oriented one. He reflected that it wasn’t the fault of Lindeners that the previous Government made a bad deal with Texas Ohio, “that we now have to shoulder that burden”.Solomon said that it is the responsibility of a caring Government to encourage economic activity and stimulate economic growth in any community.“Region 10 for the past decade has not shown any significant expansion in economic development.In the past, thousands of persons were employed in the bauxite industry, now that’s reduced to a few hundreds, which means we would have lost jobs over the years. So there must be some reasonable justification, for the increase or the removal of subsidies.”He opined that the Government is more willing to help mismanagement and incompetence.“The type of mismanagement we talking about – both GPL and GuySuCo – this burden is being transferred to the people.”The majority of persons in Linden are adamant that any increase in electricity tariffs would only serve to further ‘strangle’ the already hard pressed community. |
