PM convenes meeting with Linden stakeholders on flood mitigation, drainage plans

– says Govt is prepared to work with all stakeholders to improve Linden

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, convened a critical meeting with stakeholders from the mining town of Linden to address the urgent issues of flooding and long-term drainage planning on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister.
The primary agenda at the meeting revolved around immediate, medium, and long-term flood mitigation for the town. The Linden delegation also highlighted ongoing challenges in several areas that require urgent attention.
Prime Minister Phillips addressed these concerns directly, emphasising the importance of a comprehensive approach.
He said that the government is concerned about the impacts of the flood on the people of Linden and is “prepared to continue meeting because we are interested in the actions taken and are monitoring the progress and we know we will have to take additional actions as we identify all things that need to be done and we will get it done. We know that we have to meet and we will continue to meet with you the stakeholders.”
Among the actions discussed were flood investigation and site assessments, which will be conducted by a team of engineers from the Public Works Minister’s Special Projects Unit, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), and other relevant stakeholders. Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira will lead a flood investigation assessment in Linden tomorrow. The team will visit flood-prone areas identified during the meeting to determine immediate action steps.
In terms of drainage and irrigation upgrades, it was agreed that specific areas in Linden, such as Five Corners, would receive priority attention. Drainage improvements—including clearing clogged culverts and converting mud drains into concrete structures—will be addressed before the next rainy season.
Phillips and Edghill also discussed infrastructure enhancements such as expanding and rebuilding critical culverts expected to increase capacity and mitigate future flooding. Additionally, dredging works in key areas will be initiated to improve water flow.
Furthermore, the development of a Garbage Disposal and Waste Management Plan was discussed. This plan will focus on enhancing waste collection services and promoting environmental responsibility within the community, given that effective waste management is crucial in preventing drainage blockages.
Phillips also emphasised the government’s commitment to collaborate with local stakeholders to modernise Linden’s drainage systems and enhance its resilience against future flooding. He remarked that achieving these goals requires a collective effort from all stakeholders while expressing his intention to continue engaging with the notably absent Mayor of Linden, Sharma Solomon and Regional Chair, Deron Adams.
He stated “If we are talking about ongoing development, we the government are all for it but we impress upon the town’s leadership that we still feel that they should be part of the meeting. The government is prepared to work with all the stakeholders to improve Linden and deal with issues causing the flooding but we need the elected leaders to be present at discussions concerning the development of Linden.”
Additionally, Figueira expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue during the meeting.
The meeting, which was chaired by the Prime Minister was attended by Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud; representatives from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC); NDIA’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Dwight John; Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira; Town Clerk Lennox Gasper and representatives from Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc. and Linden Electricity Company Incorporated (LECI).