THE Linden business community is expected to benefit from investment opportunities as the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) was able to partner with Atlanta-based Guyanese investors, who answered their call for help in this regard.

With Linden being pregnant with investment opportunities, LMTC, through its Economic Development Committee, has rallied for assistance from the diaspora and the Libra Management Group, which is an Atlanta-based NGO, has responded positively.

Chairman of the Committee, Lawrence Simon, related that the first means of investment will be the Linden Pitch Tank project, which will give potential or new investors in Linden, the opportunity to pitch their ideas for investment and will benefit from up to $2M, to do same.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Libra Management, Stacey Mollison, related that she, along with two other entrepreneurs, invested in the pitch tank initiative which aims at strengthening businesses having difficulty to grow and develop. She said Libra Management has realised there was a need for investment in Linden. She also noted that there is a disconnect from persons her age group to the native land, hence, the reason she started Libra Management, because she sees it as a means of giving back to Linden.

A team of up to 15 successful business owners is also expected in Linden on July 19 and will spend a period of one week, to tour Linden and get a better overview of the investment sites and opportunities.

An entrepreneurial training session will also be conducted during this period, a conference with the Linden Chamber of Commerce along with other exercises in keeping with business and investment is slated for this period.

The overall aim, Simon outlined, is to improve the economy of Linden through diversification and entrepreneurial development. He said Libra is very passionate about Linden and its development.

“For you to develop any country, or town or community, you have to develop the economy and that is why the Linden Mayor and Town Council, in its desire to develop Linden in this regard, is seeking out partnerships; public, private and in the diaspora to assist us in this regard, knowing too that we are cash-strapped and have limitations in this regard,” Simon noted. These investments will either be direct, through potential or established businesses, he related.

The committee is encouraging all entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs to take this opportunity seriously.

“We think it’s a good initiative to pep up some businesses in Linden; this is the first of a lot of things to come and we encourage persons to get on board and see where it takes them,” he said.

The pitch-tank contestants will be tasked with submitting a one-page summary of their business proposal to Libra. Five of them will be shortlisted to present their business plan to the team of entrepreneurs. The winner will receive up to $2 M to invest in his/her business.