Linden Town Week takes more inclusive approach in 2024 – committee member

Linden Town Week 2024 is set to take a different approach. This is according to member of the Linden Tourism Committee Board, Devin Sears who is also the region’s member of Parliament.

Sears on Tuesday told Guyana Times that a “more inclusive” approach has been taken this year with more emphasis being placed on activities involving arts and craft, education and non- fête recreational activities.
Initialised on April 28, 1966 as ‘Linden Town Day’ the initiative was an effort to celebrate the town’s anniversary, showcase historical landmarks and local talents. The event later evolved into Linden Town Week. It became one of the main activities to highlight the culture and beauty of the region. Extended to one week of events in 2006 by Kashif and Shanghai, who were the managers of the event at the time, Linden Town Week over the past two decades has been known to be a major event which has mainly focused on partying.
However, this year the LTW board has decided to take a slightly different approach to the historical event which promises a comprehensive blend of cultural, recreational and educational events that embody the spirit of Linden. These activities include the first ever Geo-Expo and Art walk, debate competitions, pageants, kayaking, historical sites and bauxite mining tours amongst others. It was also noted that several improvements were made in relation to the event.
An increase in accommodation saw 15-20 per cent more rooms than last year, all of which have been booked out since December 2023. The Region 10 Tourism Committee also engaged with business such as hotels and restaurants to provide hospitality training and each business was encouraged to send a representative to engage in this initiative in an effort to ensure international and local customers receive high quality service.
The tourism committee also hosted a river front clean up exercise, which saw the removal of garbage and the repainting of rails in an effort to beautify the shore fronts of Wismar and McKenzie. Promoters of the various parties were also mandated to include at least one local artist at their event. This requirement, Sears said, was put in place to give local artist and talents more exposure. One of the major concerns about the Linden Town Week event, is that of security, Sears said, noting that in this regard the Regional Security Council and Police commander for the Region met with the various party promoters to ensure that effective security measures are in place and improved security measures were put in place at the three entrances to the town.
Sears highlighted that at the end of every town week there must be some amount of economic growth to make persons excited to return to the town and invest. He also said that all businesses have expanded over the last year in anticipation of the Linden Town Week.
“Linden is an emerging city and is growing but people expect it to grow fast. it’s a process,” he said, noting that more emphasis has been placed on marketing and branding in an effort to rebrand the town from the mining town to the heart of Guyana because it’s the gateway into the interior. Linden is the main transit point between Lethem and Georgetown.
Currently the region is experiencing developments in housing, sports and infrastructure, with the construction of the new Wismar to Mackenzie Bridge and synthetic track at the Bayroc Community Centre Ground, among other projects, all of which will help bolster tourism and economic growth in the region. This year Linden Town Week is set to kickstart on April 26 and end on May 6, celebrating 54 years of the town’s culture and unity under the theme “We are One People! One Nation! One Destiny! Linden, the Heart of Guyana!”