–as mining community celebrates its Golden Jubilee

THE mining town of Linden has successfully made it to see half-a-century, and will be celebrating this auspicious milestone with their usual pomp and flair, despite the current social-distancing and other life-saving measures implemented by the government in its bid to keep the deadly novel coronavirus COVID-19 in check.

On Wednesday, Lindeners took to various social media platforms to express their elation at having lived to see this day, in spite of all the adversities they would have endured in those 50 years.

The official 50th Anniversary logo has been widely shared by a patriotic and proud townspeople, and the event itself is being celebrated under the theme, “Reclaiming our strength through unity”.

In her feature address to her fellow Lindeners, Linden Mayor, Waneka Arrindell, urged that they use the opportunity, while in the comfort of their homes, to reflect on the many memories, good or bad, they hold dear, to try to understand the history of the town, and to cherish the township’s many achievements and journeys over the years.

“This was to be the greatest celebration in our history, and regardless of the current circumstances we face as a town, nation and world, we stand proud and tall on the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the township of Linden!” she said, adding:
“Today, I value all who are sharing this special occasion with us; it is rightly said that it doesn’t matter where you go in your life, but what matters the most is who you have beside you all the way.”

MEMORY LANE

Fifty years ago, in this very month of April, Linden was declared a town by the enigmatic President Forbes Burnham. Formerly known as Christianburg, Wismar and Mackenzie, and managed by the then privately-owned Demerara Bauxite Company Limited (DEMBA), today, it’s still fiercely independent, and boasts an ever-growing population of approximately 35,000 residents at the last count.

Its first Mayor was Mr. Egbert Benjamin, which makes Mayor Arrindell his ninth successor.
Speaking directly to the issue at hand, Mayor Arrindell said: “These past 50 years can be defined as a rollercoaster of tough and happy times that produced the best memories of our lives, all the while creating new friendships and relationships. Lindeners have worked day and night to make it possible for me to stand here and deliver these humble words of gratitude to those who came before, struggled, fought the good fight, and left us with the foundation upon which we stand to peer into the future!”

She opined that socially and economically, Linden would have achieved much in those 50 years, with the blood, sweat and tears of the many who toiled to make it the unique community it is today. As such, she feels that it is only fitting that those persons are honoured and remembered for their yeoman service, whether through political office, at the bauxite company, social activism or otherwise.

HONOURING THE STALWARTS
Noting that the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) plans honouring 50 of those stalwarts at reference during the upcoming celebrations, Mayor Arrindell said:
“We have undergone massive changes over these years, like restructuring, expansion, globalisation etc., but our family and cultural bonds have become stronger and efficient more than ever before. I thank our people who were, are, and will always be our intellectual assets that have always set us apart from the rest.”

She went on to say that at this very important juncture in the town’s history, she will continue to serve with her usual zeal, and with the town’s best interest aforemost in her heart. And while on the subject of service and best interest, Mayor Arrindell revealed that 2020 was her best year ever, as it is the year in which she saw the formidable strength of Lindeners at work, as they rallied to each other’s support in their hour of need. This same fortitude, she said, was also evidenced in the role Lindeners in the diaspora played in partnering with the township’s leaders to provide much-needed support for the community’s development. She used as a case in point, the current COVID-19 situation, whereby residents both at home and abroad, collaborated with the officials to render the support and cooperation needed to keep their community, and by extension, the country at large safe.
Noting that this spirit of oneness is unique to Lindeners, and speaks volumes of who they are as a people, Mayor Arrindell said:
“Saying thank you to them is not enough, but at this time, it is what we have. And so, on behalf of the residents of this great town, we say ‘Thank you; we are grateful, and we are proud.’
“In this our Golden Jubilee Year, we are all one; I am not leading alone, but I have the benefit of an entire town of people leading with me, in a million different ways. For this, we can all be proud, as we are all now involved and consumed. This is the greatest step at this significant milestone, and it must never be forgotten, nor should we regress.”

BE MORE MATURE

She also used the opportunity to urge residents that as they move on, and go about their daily business, they become even more mature than they already are, and consolidate a holistic vision for the future of the town beyond this Golden Jubilee year.
That said, she pledged to continue petitioning Central Government to designate Linden as Guyana’s second most important town, and to expand its boundaries to incorporate neighboring communities so that they, too, may fully benefit from its many resources.

Forever the optimist, Mayor Arrindell urged Lindeners that despite the challenges of COVID-19 may seem to be getting the better of the LMTC presently, as it finalises its strategic vision for the town, to remain positive, as their brightest and best days are ahead of them.
Customarily, Lindeners celebrate the town’s birthday with the annual Linden Town Week activities, which normally last 10 days. This year, however, the celebrations will be done virtually, so that Lindeners can still participate in the celebration. The events on the calendar are billed to commence tomorrow, and culminate on Monday, May 4. They will be streamed LIVE, via either Facebook, 104.3FM, or Zoom. Among some of the events this year are ‘Reggae on the Beach’; an international concert; the usual ‘Colour Party’; a Black and Gold Party’; the opening church service; and an economic and agricultural conference.

Indomitable spirit
Meanwhile, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan in a message said while the COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed social interactions, the 50th anniversary of the township of Linden will not go unnoticed. “Lindeners, 50 years ago, Guyana’s second-largest and your beautiful township was birth. This is a significant milestone that ought not to go unnoticed even as we grapple with the prevailing challenges.”

The Communities Minister commended the “indomitable strength, courage and tenacity displayed by Lindeners over the years that has brought the township to this point and expressed the hope for “a better and prosperous Linden, even as we rise above the present obstacles.”

He recalled the discovery of bauxite that made the town a highly sought-after destination for internal migration and “coupled with other factors laid the foundation for the birthing of a town of rich and diverse cultures as persons seeking to turn around their economic fortunes settled there blending their culture, religion and beliefs.”
He noted that with the return of local democracy in 2016, “the undemocratic imposition of an interim management committee was ended” as Lindeners elected their 10th mayor and a new council.

The full potential of the town, as the engine of growth and development of Region 10, the minister observed, can be realised once differences are shelved and all work together. Minister Bulkan congratulated the residents on the historic milestone, “may your community bind together to attain unimaginable success for the benefit of the people of Linden and Guyana as a whole… Let not the significance of the occasion obscure our focus during the time of COVID crisis. Stay safe Linden!” he state