– Coordinator optimistic, satisfied with how arrangements for the events are proceeding
THE pageant, for which eight beautiful young ladies are lining up to be the next queen, will start the Linden Town Week celebrations tomorrow in the Upper Demerara River mining community.Coordinator of this year’s annual event, Mr. Keiron Williams said that he is satisfied with how arrangements are proceeding.

“I am very pleased. This activity will be the first for our strategy to develop our community. The Sheriff Entertainment and L&L Lounge have been the first promoters of the Linden Town Week Pageant that sees the process of continuing it, and I am very happy they took the opportunity for a second year,” Williams said.

He pointed out that the franchise has gone through a whole lot, with delegates not receiving their prizes but these promoters have a vision where Sheriff Entertainment and L&L Lounge have become significant as they will be hosting the event for the second consecutive year.

He said this year the contest is on ‘Women Empowerment’ and delegates are to identify well-known female community activists as their platform.

SOME CHANGES
Williams also explained that Linden Town Week has seen some changes, the most important being the focus on the organisational structure and institutional strengthening.

In fact, Linden Town Week is now transformed from a week of extravaganza to more of an enterprise, and the emphasis is to allow it to be a catalyst for community development.

“It could have been something thought of in the past but, right now, it is something that we have focused on and narrowed it down, specifically to the things we would have done,” he said.

Williams went on: “First, we want the Linden Town Week to be one social cohesion and it is an opportunity for people to come together, so it would be a platform to show Linden’s economic potential and the fact that such realities are there.

“Third, we would have come up with our design and designed the Linden Town Week concept to be one in which we have an enabling environment for promoters and organisers to execute activities. So we focus on the launching, senior citizens’ luncheon and an awards ceremony,” he said.

STARTING ACTIVITIES
The pageant, which is usually staged the final weekend in April, is going to be kept as one of the starting activities and, the next day, will see a church service on Sunday after the opening ceremony on Saturday.

The organisers are also hoping to have a grand regatta as a flagship event but arenot yet able to confirm that activity.

Speaking about what have become noteworthy, Williams said one of the most encouraging is the inclusion and the enthusiasm of the communities to organise and promote community based initiatives.

More than five communities have expressed interest and have started planning so, for example, there is a Retrieve Family Night.

There would be the night time lime in lower Half Mile and upper Half Mile Family Day, the group in Silvertown and Victory Valley are organising and Christianburg and Amelia’s Ward spoke of ‘bush cook’ and street games.

Williams said companies and other sponsors are giving their commitments in the form of cash and kind.

“For us, it is not only cash to take care of overheads and other things but some companies,like BOSAI, are donating to the Senior Citizens Luncheon and the small companies are giving hampers and food for the senior citizens and Day Care Centres and to allow for Linden to showcase what it really has to offer in giving back to the community,” he stated.

Williams was optimistic, saying: “Generally, the plans are on stream. We have had an exciting and intriguing process. It is a very big event but it is something that is building in momentum and I am very excited about this Linden Town Week.”
By Joe Chapman