By Utamu Belle
Recently-elected Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland believes that the town will be a key gateway to Brazil, as well as a hub for commerce, transport, hospitality and mining services.
During an address to Lindeners at the launch of the annual Linden Town Week, Holland disclosed his belief that the bauxite-rich town would be great again and reiterated his promise of developing it into a city.
Referencing plans of the recently-elected Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), the Mayor outlined several initiatives which are set to come on stream in the community.
“We are working to realise a completed road from Brazil to Linden, and the bridge linking Region Seven, with our Region, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to increase business traffic. We need to develop boardwalks on both banks of the river. We need to change the infrastructural face of our town. We need a municipal mall; a better garbage disposal system; upgrading of our educational system; advancement of art, culture, sports, entertainment and eco-tourism; jobs for our youths…Contracts for jobs in Linden should be of primary benefit to Lindeners,” the Mayor indicated.
He said the soon-to-be-opened toll station at Kara Kara, Mackenzie, will bring enough revenue, as compensation for the wear and tear of heavy-duty trucks which traverse the Linden roadways. Holland added that the community was poised for increased job creation through public infrastructural projects. He stressed, however, that development of the town requires a cooperative effort, as he indicated that it was time for a shift in thinking by Lindeners. As such, he encouraged residents to broaden their way of thinking.
Holland also called on Lindeners to collaborate in every sector, while stressing the need for a secure environment where businesses and investors can thrive. All this, he said, can be achieved with the help of Government, and investors buying in to the community’s development plans. The Diaspora, he stated, is needed now more than ever, for its international expertise. Additionally, the Linden Mayor made a call for entrepreneurs to arise and realise a business vision.
Holland said the realisation of that vision required best business practices and principles as well as the adaptation of green, environmentally friendly endeavours, adding that it was time for the community to embrace order and discipline.
“It is time to experience true freedom. It is time to experience true democracy and it is time to experience true development. I am proud of Linden and all that we’ve endured, we are still standing.
As a town, our development requires that we all play our part in bringing about our success…We need to be united, we need to have a progressive mindset…We must treat our town as the jewel of this nation that it is…”
The Mayor further stated that Linden could and would return to being a better place where people from overseas would once again flock for products and services. He said he was committed to a new, enterprising, all-inclusive and corruption-free culture.” Linden will be the place to be. Linden will be the model of true development,” he stated. (Guyana Times)
This is wonderful news, I commend the Mayor and all involved in this project. However I hope the Minister of Transport will address the encroachment of the bushes on the highway. There need to be a clearance from the shoulder of the highway it should be approximately 200 feet for both sides. Bandits can lurk in the bushes and hurt people traversing that highway. I hope this will be addressed as soon as possible. Safety of our people should be a number one priority.