APNU Throws Support Behind Linden Protests Over Power and Water Crisis

By Mark DaCosta-The Opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has thrown its weight behind Linden residents demanding dependable electricity and safe, reliable drinking water. It argues that the community’s frustration exposes a wider failure of accountable governance. The position was outlined at a press conference on November 6, where APNU linked the Region Ten grievances to what it describes as the PPP/C administration’s habit of dismissing dissent and concentrating power.

Residents of the bauxite town have taken to the streets in recent days. Protesters said blackouts and water disruptions were frequent, with some households reporting four or more power cuts a day in recent weeks. Against this backdrop, APNU contends that the gap between what officials promise and what ordinary Lindeners endure has grown too wide to ignore, particularly at a time when oil revenue is swelling the national purse.

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The coalition says it is a damning indictment that, in an economy flush with petroleum earnings, people must keep marching for basics. It insists that repairs and emergency measures be matched by published schedules and named officials who can be held answerable. In its words, the statement speaks of “the distance between official assurances for vote-getting and their everyday experience,” a phrase aimed squarely at the Government’s electoral credibility in mining communities. It adds that “Citizens should not have to protest repeatedly to secure the essentials of daily life.”