PRESIDENT David Granger has urged Lindeners to adapt to the model of positive economic development if they are to fulfil their mission as a capital town, by prioritising agro-processing and investment.

The President was at the time delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony of the Linden Trade and Investment Fair at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre in Linden.
Addressing a packed audience which included Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland and Regional Chairman Renis Morian, President Granger stressed the need to progress from exporting raw materials to exporting value-added products which will significantly boost not only the economy of Linden, but the entire Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice region.
“If we continue to export raw wood, we will continue to import furniture….we still digging, cutting and fetching, the time has come to add value, to create products, we need to combine human talent with financial capital,” the President urged.
President Granger said that with its plethora of resources and geographical advantages, the region in no way should be underprivileged and urged regional officials to capitalise on this with the implementation of the Plan of Action for Regional Development (PARD). He alluded to the region possessing its own aerodrome, its potential for eco-tourism, its unique location and its possession of many intellectual minds.
The Head of State highlighted the models of positive investment which include infrastructure, investment, and information technology.

Invest in the Town
Being cognisant that financing is the major key to investment, the President urged Lindeners living in the diaspora to invest in their town, as they are aware of the special qualities that the town possesses. To reach these persons, Lindeners were urged by the Head of State to use information technology.

“Once you create a safe and attractive environment, I am confident that they will come back and lead the entrepreneurial development of this place.” The President also encouraged Lindeners to save their money, so that any idea of value-added production can materialise easily.
President Granger used the opportunity to congratulate the coordinators of the Linden Trade and Exposition Fair for the positive attitude and zest displayed by both the team and the regional authorities in their efforts to push Linden’s development.
Meanwhile, President of the Linden Chamber of Commerce, Kevin Deyounge, urged stakeholders to put their differences aside and work in unison towards the common development of Linden. He revealed that the fair’s main aim is to showcase local producers and to push them to produce even better products.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Chairman of the Linden Enterprise Network, Kensil Grenville, who in his short address said that the time is ripe for Lindeners to move forward as a people and to elevate primary production to secondary production. “If it can be done in the Caribbean, if it can be done in other regions, it can be done here,” he posited.
Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, highlighted that fact that the Linden Mayor and Town Council is on a quest to drive development and revealed that a software application will soon be launched to better facilitate Linden’s development techniques.
While Regional Chairman Renis Morian in his address posited that the developmental strategies should be pushed in schools and that the Regional Democratic Council is prioritising agricultural development in not only Linden, but in the entire Region 10.
Over 20 booths were set up by Linden’s local producers and entrepreneurial pioneers. Some of these are Chanzar’s Enterprise, Favorable Delights, Denise Institute of Catering, Corporate Supplies and Bolo’s Variety, amongst others.
Several firms from Georgetown and other regions also set up booths at the fair in an effort to showcase their products and services.