Lindeners protest no water, no light

Last Updated on Monday, 2 November 2026, 21:11 by Writer

Residents of Linden on Monday took to the street of that once-thriving bauxite-producing town to vent their frustration at prolonged power outages and lack of water.

“No water, no light. All-you will get it right” they chanted on one of the main roadways.

Demerara Waves Online News was told that residents of the municipality were without electricity for more than 30 hours.

They also held placards that emphasised their plight as they stood outside the Linden Utility Services Co-operative Society Limited (LUSCL).

“No light, no school. Stop the blackout”, “Only jumbie does be in the dark”, “No light, no work”, “No more blackout, our children have to learn” and “Tired of spoil meat.”

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member Sharma Solomon bemoaned that authorities were failing to upgrade the antiquated electricity transmission and distribution system and adding insufficient generating capacity.

“The problems are bigger than just the capacity, The problems include the ability of the system to move the power,” said Mr Solomon, a former mayor of Linden and former Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) chairman.

He said the government over the years have been touting the 300 megawatt gas-to-energy plant but the situation in Linden is getting worse.

He later told Demerara Waves Online News that the government and the Chinese bauxite company, BOSAI Minerals, that is operating in Linden could reach a new power purchase agreement to increase electricity generation to guarantee “sufficient and adequate supply of electricity” as well as reserve and backup capacity to facilitate the expansion of residential and commercial activities.

Mr Sharma said given housing developments and the increasing infrastructural and commercial activities like the DDL cattle farm at Moblissa, that region wants the central government to provide at least 100 megawatts of power generation capacity.

He said the power grid in Linden alone was struggling to satisfy demand with 14.5 megawatts at a time when there are about 40 sawmills operating in the town.

“Industrialisation and the anticipation of both industrialisation and residential expansion needs better planning by government to get the technical input from LEI, LUSCL and even the municipality to say ‘here is how the community is expanding and how you, government, have to invest in power generation’,” he said.

Mr Solomon said sawmills were flocking the town to take advantage of the lower tariff of GY12 per kWh compared to those on the coastland that pay GY$65 per kWh but they were putting pressure on electricity generation.

He complained that for several months now residents had been suffering from unstable electricity and water utility services at a time when Guyana has the resources.

“It is important that we not only get answers. It’s important that we get long-term solutions,” said the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) lawmaker.

He said once the electricity goes off, water supply stops.

Mr Solomon said small businesses like those in the markets were being badly affected.

He said household appliances were also being damaged.

He said each of Guyana’s 10 administrative regions should assess its ability to produce extra power that could be sold to the national grid.

The Guyana government had partly attributed Linden’s electricity woes to the extremely hot weather resulting in more persons switching on air condition units and the several sawmills that have mushroomed in the town in recent times, taking advantage of cheaper electricity rates.

The ministry of public utilities did not immediately comment.