Sears announces Scaled down Linden Town Week 2021

LINDEN TOWN WEEK 2021 will be celebrated under the theme ‘Bridging the economic
and social gap; all ah we is we!’ according to Chairperson of the Region Ten Tourism
Committee, member of parliament (MP), Mr. Devine Sears. Due to the ongoing deadly COVID pandemic, this year’s observances will be shortened because a number of traditional events will be scratched, Sears said. Town Week 2021 will be held from April 24 to May 2, 2021.
Due to the ongoing deadly COVID pandemic, this year’s observances will be shortened because
a number of traditional events will be scratched, Sears said.
“The objective is to showcase Linden, tourism prospects, products, agro processing, even fashion
and art and different stuff but at this stage because of the global pandemic it has to take a
different form,” he said.
Sears continued: “We don’t only want to promote Linden Town Week but also to promote
Linden and Region Ten. So far, we would have met with couple of stakeholders we are still
awaiting verification and confirmation of all the events from the COVID 19 Task Force, it’s our
objectives that while we celebrate, we must celebrate in a safe way.  There are certain protocols
that has to be followed during that period to ensure that we are on the winning side and not the
losing side”.
He explained there will be no major gatherings this year as the planning committee continues to
monitor the steady increase of COVID-related cases and the rising death toll in Guyana which
now stands at 227 persons.
“There are several activities that residents and tourists can be a part of, but it will be scaled way
down. A lot of the events will be virtual and we will be using the mass media (radio and
television) to get over what activities are scheduled,” Sears said

He continued, “Linden needs to be prepared. We are having an influx of tourists on the weekends
and we expect a lot more to come during the Town Week but again we will be working with the
authorities to ensure that it is in a safe manner.”
Revelries of the past will not be indulged this year by the Linden Town Week Committee
comprising the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) and the Region Ten Tourism Committee,
because of the present viral dangers, Sears emphasised.
“The Linden Mayor and Town Council and the Region Ten Tourism Committee are not
promoting any parties during that period, and by no means are we associating with any with
those secret- location parties that might pop up. The whole objective is to showcasing Linden,”
the opposition legislator explained.
He is unhappy with the stigma now attached to the 26-year-old annual event “that all you do is to
go and party”.
“All we are doing (this time around) is going back to the original idea of Linden Town Week
which is showcasing what Linden has to offer,” he said.
The committee is awaiting the green light from the National COVID 19 Task Force regarding
several of the week’s packed calendar of events.
“We can now look at Tourism as a whole to develop the Region. We are economically
challenged and this will lead to social challenges, so there are definitely gaps and these gaps
came about due to…inequalities as it relates to the economic activities. Once we can develop the
economic activities in the Region, I think that is where we can bridge those gaps,” said Mr.
Lawrence Simon, Chairman of the M&TC Social Development Committee.

The Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice (Region Ten) is bordered by seven of the 10 Administrative
Regions of the country with an area of 6,450 square miles (167,00 Km 2 ) and is the only without a
coastal boundary or International Frontier. It comprises mostly the Hilly Sand and Clay Region and
Hinterland Forested Region.
Bauxite mining, forestry and agriculture (vegetables, legumes, ground provision) are its principal
economic activities.
Linden Town Week started as Linden Town Day by Norbert Fredericks in 1996, and by
2006 evolved into the now-popular annual week of activities driven by the dedicated efforts
of the Kashif and Shanghai duo, noted for the promotion of football (soccer) in the country.