GUYANA | Colvin Heath-London resuscitates Abandoned Linden Housing/Community developmentProgramme

This is the final part of Village Voice News’ extensive interview with Mr. Colvin Heath-London, a young professional who has been the victim of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government’s acts of victimization and recrimination. This part focuses on Heath-London’s work in Linden/Region 10 as Head of National Industrial & Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL).

Linden was an up-and-coming town with a large middle class prior to the decline in bauxite production which started in the 1980s and got worse during the 1990s when the PPP government turned its attention to the community that resulted in its neglect and destruction.

This community is seen as the bastion of support for the opposition People’s National Congress and is predominantly Africans.

Heath-London saw and understood the plight of the people and sought to address their needs through housing and community development. He told this publication he picked up and expanded the programme, started under the PNC administration by GUYMINE, but was neglected by the PPP government.

When the PPP entered government in 1992 the bauxite industry’s Housing and Development Programme was transferred to NICIL. NICIL, under Winston Brassington leadership, concentrated on making land and buildings available to persons outside of Linden.

Colvin Heath-London’s focus, as NICIL head, was to give preference to persons within the Linden/Region 10 community.

Getting about the task of improving Linden/Region 10

The consequence of Heath-London’s action saw several persons in the community becoming homeowners, through acquisition of housing and land.

Heath-London told this publication land is generational wealth and he was concerned that persons who reside in the community could not own a home, or their ownership status was not regularised. “This was a burning issue I felt an obligation to address.”

Heath-London also took on the task of improving the aesthetics of Linden, preserving its history, creating family-friendly spaces, economic and other opportunities.

At the economic level he led the NICIL team in formulating policy for enhanced management, operational efficiency, rebranding, recapitalisation, modernisation and restructuring of the Chinese operated BOSAI bauxite industry. The team also negotiated with BOSAI to pay a dividend to the Government of Guyana, which was a first.

There were renovations and modernisation of the bauxite industry’s assets to create employment and a net positive cash contributors, evident in the refurbishing of Watooka House, Ituni Guest House, Kwakwani State and Guest Houses, sporting and club facilities.

A boardwalk was also built at the embankment of the Demerara River at the Watooka Guest House. These are symbols of importance in the community.

The former bauxite train station was also renovated and converted to centennial park that has created employment.

NICIL under Heath-London also secured disputed payments for shares of Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company for the Government of Guyana.

The Government then sold its share to a Hong Kong based company. Under his leadership NICIL also invested and or funded various projects in the public and private sector.

Dormant sport/recreational facilities were renovated to enhance public/community wellness. These not only became positive cash earners, but they created all-encompassing family entertainment sports facilities, while creating employment (sports clubs, swimming pools, football & cricket grounds, tennis courts, park spaces).

Veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis has written extensively of the economic marginalisation programme of the PPP government that targeted the community, which he labels “economic genocide.”

He said this programme saw the destruction of the workers’ pension plan worth more than $2.5 billion; the rejection of proposals made by bauxite workers to the PPP government to convert part of their into an Investment Fund, among other denial of the right to social, economic and political determination.

Linden, which is named after the PNCR Founder Leader, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, is now classified a depressed community.

But Linden is not deprived of resources, human and natural, only the creation of an enabling environment, by a caring government, to get the people back on their feet.  Lewis told this publication Colvin Heath-London, by his work in the community, brought hope.

Education

Heath-London’s early education was at St Margaret’s Primary, The Bishops High School, and Queen’s College where he pursued A levels then migrated shortly after.

Colvin holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School- Heriot Watt University, Scotland in 2009 and Electives Postgraduate Certificates in Negotiations and Influence.

He also pursued a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration PGDipBA Edinburgh Business School Scotland and Post Graduate Certificates in – Strategic Planning, Marketing, Economics, Organisational Development, Negotiation, Influence and Project Management.

Heath-London also holds a Project Management Professional PMP (2010)  Certificate and is a Doctoral Candidate – Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)- in International Business Management.

 Love of country

And whilst Colvin Heath-London can trace his successes in getting personally involved influencing major decisions that would redound to economic growth and nudge the Human Development Indices in the right direction, the country he loved, rather the PPP/C Government, has sought to injure his reputation.

He has been placed before the court on charges that dealt with his lawful execution of duties under the A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government. The PPP has used this as a reason to terminate his services and not honour his contract of employment.

The fact that Heath-London’s case has been before the court since November 2020 and the matter has not yet been heard is a grave injustice.

This publication has been following the case and every time the matter is called there is always an excuse from the prosecution resulting in the matter being postponed. Heath-London was asked to weigh in on his situation.

This is what he had to say: “The nature of Guyanese politics, in particular that of the PPP/C, is a discouragement to young professionals who wish to operate in a professional manner and remain above the political fray. Try as one might, in Guyana, working with government places one as either for or against one side, which could likely dampen the spirit of young talent to return and serve their country.”

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