Wismar.Popularly known as “Multi”

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By Enid JoaquinDuring its heyday, Mackenzie prospered, and no one would have envisaged the tumultuous times that lay ahead as the stability of the community was fractured by the volcanic political climate of the early 1960’s, that eventually exploded with two debacles that would remain etched in the memories of residents for decades to come.Mayhem in May!The first catastrophe to mar the hitherto peaceful community was the 1964 disturbance at Wismar, where mayhem broke loose on May 24th as rioting, looting, rape, murder and arson reduced the area to a war zone.A ship at the dock in Linden, waiting to be loaded with bauxite.In its aftermath, several Indo-Guyanese lay dead, while dozens of houses and business places were destroyed.This led to the mass evacuation of others, who were fortunate to escape, to areas outside of Mackenzie by British troops who had been deployed to the district.But even as the carnage was taking place a few Afro-Guyanese families would risk their own lives as they rescued and hid several East Indians.A few Indo-Guyanese would later return to the community, after normalcy was restored. But several homes, which had escaped the arsonists, were appropriated by other people, who took up residence in them.Some would later apply for prescriptive rights to the properties. More Revenge Killings?Afterwards, there was an apprehensive calm, like the proverbial calm before the storm; but then, a few months later, all hell broke loose again!The Son Chapman, a private vessel, which was owned by erstwhile businessman, Norman Chapman, was blown up in the Demerara River, in the vicinity of Horadia, about 18 miles from Mackenzie. The launch was on a routine return trip to Mackenzie, with less than its full complement of passengers, as a result of the rumours circulating, that it would be blown up.Forty three people, of mostly African descent died that day. This second carnage would send shockwaves throughout Mackenzie, as dismembered bodies littered the water top. Two East Indians, who had returned to Mackenzie after the disturbances, were subsequently killed in retaliation.The Owner of the launch, in an interview with this newspaper a few years ago, said he was not surprised, as he had received several threats that the launch would be “wasted”.The 13,000 walking dragline which was used in the 1970s.According to Chapman, his launch was blown up because it was the fastest and most popular vessel plying the Demerara River in those days.But other people saw it differently; they were convinced that the ‘bombing’ of the Son Chapman was a vengeful act by those who had retaliated for their uprooting from the area mere months before.It was widely accepted that the volatile climate of the early 1960s was reportedly orchestrated by politically motivated architects of destruction, both within and outside of the country, who fanned the flames of ethnic hatred, until it ignited and exploded, resulting in murders, and other atrocities that fragmented lives and caused upheavals in several communities across British Guiana.Development continuesDespite the pervasive turmoil that marred the tranquility of Mackenzie in the early 1960s, development continued at a steady pace.A few businesses, such as Hamilton’s Store, Chapman’s Enterprise, Barrington’s Esso Service Station and the Royal Bank of Canada would be established on Arvida Road (Republic Avenue), between the years 1962-1967.However, development would be more prolific between 1964-1966 with the commencement of the New Kara-Kara Housing Scheme, the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge, the Atkinson/Mackenzie Highway and the construction of the New Wismar Market.A project was also launched to erect a hospital at Wismar to serve residents on the West Bank of the Demerara River.Dubbed the Upper Demerara Hospital project, it was launched with the Jaycees of Mackenzie making the first contribution of $30,000.Bauxite workers would also contribute significantly towards the building of the Hospital. In addition to the contributions that they would make towards the establishment of that hospital, a sum of money which they had earlier agreed to would be taken out of their salaries, by their employers and put towards the upkeep and maintenance of the power plant, which supplied electricity to the community.The opening up of the Atkinson/Mackenzie Highway (Linden/ Soesdyke Highway) in 1968, would take Mackenzie by storm, as the journey to Georgetown, which had hitherto taken almost eight hours by the vessel RH Carr, was reduced to a mere two hours. The RH Carr subsequently pulled the steamer service, the following year.People at Mackenzie were ecstatic with this new development, and as can be expected, trips to Georgetown for both business and pleasure became more frequent.Meanwhile, the AME Church at Christianburg was built in the year 1969.St. Aidans, which, like the community is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, was rebuilt that same year.“Mackenzie’ declared a town.The communities of Wismar, Christianburg and Mackenzie (Mackenzie), were amalgamated in the year 1970, and the area was declared a town. Its first name Macmerberg was an acronym of the three words. The name would later be changed to Linden, after the then Prime Minister, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.1970 would be an important year for the town in more ways than one, as the first ever Mashramani was held that year on February 23rd.The idea behind Mashramani was conceptualized by the JACEES of Mackenzie, to celebrate the country’s newly achieved Republican status.It later became a national event and remains so to this day.Brezina Housing Scheme at Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie was opened that very year. A year later, DEMBA was finally nationalized following repeated calls for its nationalization after the country gained independence in 1966.Wisroc Housing Scheme at Wismar was established four years later, as well as the LICHAS Hall at Mackenzie and the Wismar/Christianburg Secondary School on Blueberry Hill, Wismar.Popularly known as “Multi”, the Mackenzie Multilateral School, like several others that were built across the country, was constructed to take care of both the academic and vocational needs of students,But several years earlier in 1951, the Echols High School was established on Arvida Road and Wismar Street. The school was later moved to its present location and renamed the Mackenzie High School. It has remained the premier secondary School in Mackenzie, Linden throughout the years.Another school, the Mackenzie All Age School, had also been established on Arvida road, a decade earlier. The first public free Library was erected in close proximity (on the grounds). After the school was removed, the Linden Shopping Plaza was erected on the site. Courts Guyana, Digicel and other smaller business entities currently occupy the building.This was followed by the opening of the first and only cinema, in those days- the Crescent Cinema on Coop Crescent, at Mackenzie.Another cinema-the “Palm Tree’ was built years later on Burnham Drive, Wismar. Name changesAfter Demba was nationalized, the bauxite company became known as GUYBAU (Guyana Bauxite Company). The company was later merged with its Berbice counterpart, which was then known as BERMINE (Berbice Mining Enterprise) and renamed GUYMINE (Guyana Mining Enterprise) in 1977.Guyconstruct, a subsidiary was also established, and served as the building arm of the company.A year earlier, the Bauxite Industry Development Company (BIDCO) had been established as the parent Company for the Bauxite industry in Guyana.This was the beginning of several name changes that would take place, as the company would ‘change hands’ over the years. During all this time, just as how the bauxite sector was constantly ‘changing hands’, so it was that the economic landscape was changing; and it was definitely not for the better!There would be retrenchments and redundancies, until the workforce was reduced to almost a quarter of what it had originally been.Green Construction Company, an overseas-based entity was later contracted to the industry to do the stripping (removing overburden etc) as the company was experiencing problems in that area, and had been losing markets as a result.The new company, which worked in a collaborative arrangement with the bauxite industry, encamped at the old Arrowcane mine, but conducted their operations at the East Montgomery mine(the largest mine).Although Green brought in some of their own managers, they also employed persons ‘exclusively’, while the bauxite industry assigned a few of their managers to them.But then Green closed up shop and left.Some of their workers were absorbed by the bauxite industry in Linden, and later others gained employment with RUSAL at Aroaima.The rest joined the long line of the unemployed. GUYMINE dissolvedGuymine was dissolved in 1977, and an Australian mining company by the name of MINPROC assumed management of the industry.Several years later, the Australians would hand over management to LINMINE (Linden Mining Enterprise).Meanwhile the ‘colossal’ Alumina Plant operations ground to a halt in the early eighties, which resulted in even more persons joining the ranks of the unemployed.This was the beginning of the decline of the mining Town.More than two decades later in 2004, the OMAI Bauxite Company, which had initially been engaged in gold mining, took over the management of the industry from LINMINE. There were high hopes that things would turn around greatly with their intervention.But OMAI would move on after only three years, which saw BOSAI Minerals Group (Guyana), which is presently still in charge, taking over the reins of the industry in April 2007.LEAP (Linden Economic Advancement Programme), had in the meanwhile been established.With this intervention, Lindeners of course had envisaged a ‘leap’ start (or restart) and advancement in the Town’s economic standing; unfortunately they were sorely disappointed! (Continued next week)