With the recent installation of 84 new street lights at Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden by Government through the Public Infrastructure Ministry, while residents of Bath Settlement, Berbice continue to be affected by Government’s decision to have theirs removed, questions have arisen over who will foot the bill.

Linden Interim Management Committee (IMC) Chairman Orrin Gordon

At Linden, the municipality of the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) is tasked with the responsibility of paying for streetlights situated in both Wismar and Mackenzie; however, Linden Interim Management Committee (IMC) Chairman Orrin Gordon said on Friday that the municipality was not consulted over the erection of the new streetlights at Burnham Drive and as such, it would not be paying for those lights. Gordon disclosed that he “heard” that the project was a “gift to the people of Linden” as well as a “continuation” of similar street lighting projects which were executed by the former Administration. He said he was happy, since Linden was in need of the kind gesture.
“We’re not going to pay for those lights. Nobody said anything to us and I’m not asking any questions either…they can’t tell us anything about paying since they did not come to us in the first place… we were unaware of that,” the IMC Chairman stated.
Gordon said the new lights were erected along with the older ones for which the municipality had responsibility. He opined that these should have been taken down to assist other areas in the community which were currently in need.
Meanwhile, this newspaper understands that the installation of the street lights was done in collaboration with the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Democratic Council. Regional Chairman Renis Morian, when contacted on Tuesday, said he was uncertain whose budget would be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the newly-installed lights at Burnham Drive, as such was yet to be sorted out.
Just recently, residents of Bath Settlement, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) had protested after having their street lights removed and being told that “Government cannot afford it”. Government had indicated that it could not have afforded to pay the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for the streetlights and, as such, had the lights removed from the area.