The Linden Mayor and Town Council has announced its intention to take the lead role in franchising the major activities for Linden Town Week 2018.
The Council emphasised that Linden Town Week is “far bigger than any stakeholder, promoter or investor, since it has grown to be the hallmark event of the town over the last 21 years.” The Council has decided it is promoting full community involvement for 2018.
Devin Sears, Communications Committee Chairperson, told media operatives at a press briefing on Tuesday that the Council will not disenfranchise any stakeholder, but will only be sub-franchising major events.
Members of the Linden Mayor and Town Council at a press briefing on Tuesday
Sears explained that in July 2017, several promoters expressed their interest to franchise the event, including Vybz Entertainment, Linden Youth Leaders, Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, LGS Entertainment, Extra Beer and Energy, Concept Entertainment and Unique Entertainment.
However, he noted that the Council decided against granting sole franchise rights of the 2018 event. To allow for wider participation of interested parties, signature events will be sub-franchised through a bid process.
“What we had done, we explored various models in terms of, if we are going to franchise it out, or if the Town Council is going to run it through the Linden Town Week Secretariat,” Sears explained. He also told reporters he believes “with more involvement from all the promoters in the community, Linden Town Week will reach its full potential.”
Keran Williams, Chairman of the Social Development Community, explained that previous Linden Town Week events were executed under three main models, these included the Linden Municipality, Linden Town Council and promoters and private stakeholders.
However, for 2018, the Council has a new focus for the Town Week event, “Over the years all those models have had their success…but one of the major pillars of this year’s decision for Linden Town Week 2018 will be the pillar of ‘inclusion’. Inclusion continues to be the focus of this municipality,” Williams was quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information.
According to the Chairman, all Lindeners, partners and stakeholders will be afforded an equal opportunity to actively participate in the process.”
“As we examine the vision; we think most persons share a vision that Linden Town Week has the potential to be the greatest socio-cultural activity in Guyana,” he opined.
Linden Town Week 2018 will be a combination of cultural expositions, fetes and trade. It is slated to last for 10 days from April 22 to May 1, 2018.
The event will be officially launched in November of this year.
