–with calls for reflection and rediscovery of beauty of mining town

By Vanessa Braithwaite

LINDEN Town Week 2016 was launched on Saturday under the theme “Reflection, resilience, rediscover Linden and celebrate who we are”, and Lindeners have been urged to reflect on their past and where they once were.In her feature address at the launching, Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valarie Adams-Patterson, told the audience it was time to reflect, as reflection would help in the town’s development in many ways.

She said that, as a born and bred Lindener, there is so much she can reflect on. “I reflect on the days when Linden had the best potable water; on Linden having the most reliable electricity service; of us having one of the best hospitals — the Mackenzie Hospital. I reflect on the days when Lindeners had respect for the elderly; on the high level of discipline in our schools; and on our teachers, who were respectable

“…and when we could have slept with our doors and windows open and not having to worry about crime,” she recalled.

She said those days allowed Lindeners to boast about where they came from.

BEING RESILIENT
Minister Patterson commended Lindeners for being resilient in the face of many adversities that confronted them over the years.

“We stood in the face of political and economic adversity, and we survived; and if Linden survived that, Linden can survive anything that comes to us, as we also have the ability to bounce back,” she said.

She told Lindeners that, as they celebrate, it is time to also rediscover the beauty of their town, which has so many tourist attractions.

NEW COUNCIL
She said that with imminent installation of a new town council, it is time for change, and Lindeners should now focus on the goals they set themselves.

“It is time for this (town) council to take decisive action, and for us as a people to take decisive action,” she urged.

All future decisions being made, she said, should not be “about us”, but “about Linden”. “We have so much to discover and so much to celebrate. I thought of our airport, of blue lakes, the museum, our fat pork trees, the waterwheel, our old trains, our boat service, the many creeks, our Watooka House… Many people don’t have what we have!” Minister Patterson exclaimed.

10 DAYS OF PARADISE
Linden Town Week will be held from May 15 to May 25. Collaboration between the Town Week Committee and the Regional Commemoration Committee will see the merging of some 50th Anniversary celebrations into the Town Week agenda.

Devin Sears, Chairman of Vybz Entertainment, the franchise holder of Linden Town Week, made this announcement as he disclosed
that this merger would allow for the town to better sell its week of activities, as several new events will be added to the signature events. These include a boat cruise from Georgetown to Linden and back.

“This is an important element. It is something different, and has not happened in this part of Guyana for years,” he noted.

VILLAGE DAYS
In addition to this venture, on May 21, Vybz Entertainment, which sought partnership with several promoters, will be focusing on community development, as several village days will be held.

“We have Wisroc Village Day, Silver City Reunion, Half Mile Village Day; and for the first time, Amelia’s Ward Village Day! The aim is to encourage community cohesion, and the proceeds will go to the communities. Several activities will also focus on education and health, such as a spelling B competition and health fairs,” he disclosed.

Amidst high optimism for the success of these activities, Sears told the Guyana Chronicle that challenges are being encountered, the main one being the lack of accommodation.

“We don’t have enough hotels and guest houses (in the town), but we are encouraging persons (who) have accommodation to register (them), and we will put that (information) out there to the diaspora, so that persons will know what accommodation is available,” Sears revealed.

TOURIST DESTINATION
Sears said that, by 2017, Linden Town Week should be an international event promoted worldwide. “Some of the strategies that we will be using is the Linden Town Week magazine and other means of promoting Linden and selling Linden as a tourist destination.”

He disclosed that negotiations are being made with airlines to have ticket prices reduced so that persons in the diaspora can participate in this occasion.

At the Town Week launch were Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira; Deputy Director of Community Development Councils, Sandra Adams; Prime Minister’s Representative for the Region, Vladimir Glasgow; former Chairman Sharma Solomon, and former Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon. This is the 20th year of the Linden Town Week.