Outgoing Linden Mayor, Carwyn Holland, was given a warm and memorable appreciation ceremony on Monday, in a gala event organized by the Linden Youth Leaders (LYL).
Holland, dubbed the first Linden- born Mayor, decided against running for a third term, after serving two consecutive terms in office.
The ceremony which was hosted at the Watooka Complex in Mackenzie, Linden, was marked by an outpouring of tributes in words and song.
The outgoing Mayor also used the opportunity to honour, and give back to, several members within the Municipality of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), including constables, drivers and garbage collectors, for their outstanding contributions.
In giving his reasons for awarding them, the outgoing Mayor noted that the roles of these workers who play a pivotal role in the municipality are often overlooked.
Holland also made monetary donations to the schools he formerly attended, including Saint Aidan’s, formerly Mount Caramel Nursery; Christianburg Primary, and Mackenzie High School, among others.
He reflected on his own achievements as Mayor and on the achievements of his Council, as he also honoured staff attached to the Linden Municipality. And in his outgoing speech, Holland noted that he decided to run for the post as a result of a burning desire to return and initiate positive change in the community.
The reactivation of the Kara Kara toll booth, salary increase for municipal workers, getting Guyana back on the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, formation of the LYL, and improved municipal budget and amenities within the Council were among some of the achievements he highlighted.
Holland posited that, after 2 terms in office, he finally received assurance from the Attorney General that work would be done on the municipality’s $200 million bailout.
Holland, who reminisced on memorable moments, said despite challenges and some opposition, he was thankful for the experience of having been mayor, noting that it built his character.
Incoming Mayor Waneka Arindell, who served as Deputy Mayor, and Councillor Eleze Benjamin also thanked Holland for the work he had started, and wished him well. Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira also noted that Holland has made significant contributions to the township with his “revolutionary ideas”.
The MP said that, in time, the community would be able to embody some of the visions which Holland had for development. “I believe Carwyn has played a significant role in our township, and I’m confident…that he will continue to make contributions not only to the township of Linden and the Region, but altogether Guyana”, Figueira said.
Also present and delivering well wishes were Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall, Bishop John Oswald Smith, and representatives of the UNDP and Indian High Commission, among others.
