Linden electricity subsidy will not be removed – VP Jagdeo

Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips have both emphatically rejected the allegation that the PPP/C administration plans to remove the subsidy on electricity for Lindeners and Region 10 residents.

These claims were made by PNC/R leader Aubrey Norton during his visit to the township on Friday.

The Vice President, in a statement released on his Facebook page, said residents of Linden should not live in fear, as these allegations are false and baseless.

“[The allegation] is totally untrue as the government has no such plans. Guyanese should not fall prey to Norton’s attempt to mislead and cause panic,” VP Jagdeo assured.

Prime Minister Phillips in another statement explained that an interim management committee was established to manage the Linden Utility Co-operative Society Limited (LUCSL).

This action followed a determination by the Chief Co-operative Development Officer (CCDO) that LUCSL is being mismanaged.

As such, an Interim Management Committee comprising seven Lindeners of good standing was appointed by the CCDO to manage the society.

This, the Prime Minister highlighted, has been done in accordance with the law for the overall effective functioning of the organisation.

“Cooperative Society Act, Chapter 88:01, empowers the [Chief Cooperative Development Officer] to take over any Cooperative or Friendly Societies, or Credit Union, that in the opinion of the CCDO is mismanaged or not transparent,” PM Phillips explained.

“At no time were they told that there will be any increase of electricity rates for Linden,” the Prime Minister clarified.