For more than five decades, the people of Linden, Guyana, have lived by one of the most enduring truths of our culture: “One one dutty build dam.” It’s more than a proverb here—it’s a survival code. In a town too often left to fend for itself, each hand-built bridge, each backyard garden, each hustler on the grind, each mother raising a generation of hopefuls with little more than grit and grace—each “dutty” has been laid by the people, for the people.
Lindeners have done what others said couldn’t be done. Without a full banking ecosystem. Without significant government investment. Without modern infrastructure or the same business incentives afforded to Georgetown, East Berbice, or the Essequibo Coast. What they had was willpower. What they lacked in access, they replaced with ambition.
But imagine for a moment—what if?
What if Linden had the same financial infrastructure as the capital?
What if our children had access to state-of-the-art schools, modern libraries, and STEM labs?
What if local businesses were granted the same start-up support and investment capital offered elsewhere?
What if the roads were properly paved, the hospitals fully equipped, and the creatives funded to tell our stories to the world?
Linden would not only rise—it would lead.
We would see thriving agro-industries supported by functional cooperatives and access to export markets. Our youth would launch tech start-ups from smart classrooms and innovation hubs, not just survive off the back of hustling. Our artists and storytellers would build a culture economy that draws eyes and ears from the diaspora and beyond. The bauxite legacy would evolve—not as a relic of the past but as the foundation for a modern, green economy that respects both people and planet.
Instead of migration, we’d see repatriation. Instead of despair, we’d see design—intentional, inclusive, and transformative.
And Guyana? Guyana would win.
Because when Linden wins, Guyana gains a model of what can be achieved when resourcefulness is matched with respect, when talent is met with tools, and when resilience is no longer a requirement—but a choice.
“One one dutty build dam,” yes. But give the people the machinery, the materials, the maps—and watch us build not just a dam, but a legacy.
The story of what could be is still being written.
But one thing is certain—Linden is ready.
Ready for better.
Ready to lead.
Ready for access, not just applause.