Time for the return of K&S football in Linden

Dear Editor,
It’s time to leave the past behind. Learn from it, yes, but don’t stay there; it’s time to move forward. With that said, I’m confident that most will agree with me that the best time is now. The return of the Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament to Region 10 and, more specifically, to Linden is not going to be merely the relocation of a sporting event. No! It represents a powerful moment of restoration and a rebirth that speaks to community pride, economic opportunities, youth empowerment through sport, and national development. For many Guyanese, especially those of us who grew up in Linden, the Kashif and Shanghai tournament was never just football. It was culture, community, opportunity, hope, excitement and the unmistakable Linden/Guyanese vibes. When Kashif Muhammad and Aubrey “Shanghai” Major launched the tournament in the early 1990s, they, like many others, could hardly have imagined the profound impact it would have on the lives of young people and on the economic heartbeat of an entire township. Every New Year’s Day final became a national spectacle. Families travelled from across Guyana to Linden, Guyanese in the diaspora timed their holidays around it, and Linden transformed into the sporting capital of the country. The roar of the crowd was not only about a scored goal or victory on the pitch; it was about belonging, pride, and identity. For more than two decades, the tournament stood as the pinnacle of football entertainment in Guyana. More importantly, it functioned as a grassroots development programme long before such terminology became commonplace. Many of Linden’s finest footballers emerged from this competition, including players who went on to represent the national team. Young players who otherwise lacked structured opportunity found discipline, mentorship, purpose, and direction. Sport gave them focus and steered many away from crime, idleness, and social despair.
Today, Linden stands, eager and ready once again. President Irfaan Ali’s Government has made significant investments in sports infrastructure, and Linden has benefited from these investments. The redevelopment of the Mackenzie Sports Club into a modern Mackenzie Stadium suitable for football, cricket, and other sporting and social activities, together with the construction of the Bayroc National Stadium in Wismar, provides two quality facilities capable of hosting major events. These are not merely structures of concrete and grass; they are instruments of social change, transformation and economic opportunity. With these venues, Linden can sustainably host national competitions and re-establish itself as a centre for sports development and excellence. The return of the Kashif and Shanghai tournament would have immediate economic consequences for the township. During its peak years, hotels were fully booked, restaurants extended their operating hours, vendors multiplied, and transportation services expanded. Small and medium-sized businesses depended on the tournament season as their most profitable period of the year. A revived tournament would once again circulate income within the local economy, stimulate employment, and encourage tourism. However, if we are serious about sports development, we must go beyond celebration; we must invest strategically.
When the tournament returns, and it should, I strongly advocate for a significant increase in prize monies for the first, second, third, and fourth place finishers, along with reasonable appearance fees for participating clubs. Footballers commit to months of preparation, personal sacrifice, and risk of injury. Their effort must be valued. Competitive compensation does not merely reward performance; it helps professionalise the sport and motivates excellence.
Equally important is the role of Corporate Guyana. Sponsorship must not be symbolic; it must be structured and developmental. Companies should come on board and support participating teams by providing player kits, training gear, hydration products, transportation assistance, and insurance coverage. Such involvement benefits both sides: clubs receive essential resources, while corporations gain brand visibility, community goodwill, and meaningful youth engagement in helping to shape the future. This is not charity; it is partnership in nation-building.
Sport, as I have always articulated, remains one of the most effective social intervention tools available to any society. A football tournament such as K&S will engage hundreds of players, thousands of spectators, and an entire generation of young observers who see possibility reflected in athletes who come from communities like their own. We need a new Charles “Lilly” Pollard, Collie “Hitman” Hercules, Dwayne “Fineman” Douglas, Kaiyo “Magician” McKennon, Old Rose, Kang, Woody, John Wayne, Boy Blue, Chicken, Parrot, Black Head, Red Hold, Bongo, Bonnie, Bethune, Snooks and many other talents. Organised sport reduces antisocial behaviour, promotes healthy lifestyles, strengthens discipline, moulds character and fosters unity across ethnic, social, and geographic divides.
The Kashif and Shanghai Tournament achieved this before, and I am confident it can do so again.
Its return to Linden would symbolise more than nostalgia. It would represent decentralisation of national activity and empowerment of communities outside the capital. It would strengthen regional pride while reinforcing national unity. It would provide structured pathways for footballers, create positive role models for youth, stimulate business activity, encourage tourism, and restore an important part of Guyana’s sporting heritage.
I therefore call on the Guyana Football Federation, Corporate Guyana, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, football clubs, players, and citizens alike to support this initiative. Let us not view the tournament simply as an event but as a developmental platform capable of transforming lives and revitalising communities.
When sport, and football in particular, thrives, communities thrive.
The return of the Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament to Linden will not only be welcome; it is necessary.

Yours respectfully,
Jermaine Figueira
Former Member of Parliament