Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Sunday, 18 August 2024, 0:42 by Writer
AFC Leader Nigel Hughes addressing a public meeting at the Mackenzie Car Park, Linden.
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes on Saturday said Linden should be transformed into a logistics hub to take advantage of its location and movement of natural resources to other parts of Guyana.
Addressing fewer than 200 persons at a public meeting at the Mackenzie car park, Linden, to mark the launch of its 2025 general and regional election campaign, Mr Hughes calculated that about 200 trucks transport an estimated US$360,000 worth of aggregate stone through Linden everyday. “You are providing the roads. You’ve got no support from central government to help you develop this city into a logistics centre for the future,” he said.
Mr Hughes said there was no reason that any gold miner or business operator in Regions 8, 9 and 10 (Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo, and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) should go to Georgetown for most basic items such as spares and fuel.
He asked why the state-owned Guyana Oil Company was not asked to establish a fuel depot in Linden to supply the fuel needs of various types of vehicles and equipment “so that people will come to Linden and not bother to go to Georgetown to buy fuel.” “That will have several spin-off effects. If the government makes it attractive, they can give tax incentives to people who set up business here,” he said.
The Guyana government has long offered tax incentives to businesses that would like to invest in Region 10.
The AFC Leader and AFC Chairman David Patterson, however, said the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration was giving their “friends and families” from places like Parika to set up sawmills in Linden. “Here is where the discrimination comes. Call it what it is! The prime real estate in Linden is not controlled by Linden,” said Mr Hughes, a practicing lawyer, adding that the State’s holding company for government assets – National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) – controls the prime real estate in Linden. He accused government of discriminating against Lindeners in the allocation of leases which could be used as collateral to obtain bank loans.
Mr Hughes said the time has come for Lindeners’ voices to be heard even ahead of the 2025 general and regional elections.