President David Granger, Friday evening, declared open the three-day Linden Exposition and Trade Fair at the Linden Technical Institute.
According to a Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) statement, the Guyanese Head-of-State said the town has the capability to advance and develop by leaps and bounds but it must first fulfil its mission as a ‘capital town’ by employing its human resources, exploiting its agriculture potential and by adding value to its raw materials to build a strong and resilient economy.
During his feature address, the President said that it is his belief that the Trade Fair exemplifies the efforts, which Linden is making to encourage entrepreneurship, to create employment and to establish a resilient economy in these changing times.
“Linden is the powerhouse that is driving this great Region… You have abundant natural resources; the logs, the bauxite, the rich forests and our rich mines but you also have other resources; abundant wildlife, fish, birds and an attractive environment. Linden is also in its own way a centre of intelligence.
The President said that the Region can also create a strong industrial base, having been the heartland of bauxite mining for a century and one which has attracted and trained engineers, electricians, geochemists, geologists, machinists, mechanics, surveyors, technicians and welders among a range of skilled personnel.
He said that while some of these persons have migrated, he is certain that they would return to Guyana to invest in Linden with the right incentives.
Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell embraced the message of the Head of State, noting that manufacturing and value-added production is the way forward even as she sounded a call for Lindeners to come together to achieve the vision set out by the President.
Colleen Williams, one of the exhibitors, said that she is grateful for the event as it provides her with a unique opportunity to showcase her products, which encompasses spices, flour, pepper, seasonings and other items.
Meanwhile, President of the LCICD, Victor Fernandes, said that the Trade Fair will focus on the development of local producers and will encourage the producers to not only showcase their products and services but to make them better.
He noted, like the President, that while Linden would have depended on certain sectors for decades, the time has come for changes so that economic prosperity can return.
Lyndon Younge, Senior Vice President of LCICD and Coordinator of the Expo, in his remarks, noted this is the Chamber’s signature event for the Linden Town Week to explore business opportunities and to empower businessmen and women under a theme that contributes to the President’s vision for a ‘green’ Guyana.
The event, which is being hosted under the theme “Exploring opportunities, Empowering businesses in a Green 2018”, is a collaborative effort of the Linden Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Development (LCICD), the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) and the Linden Mayor and Town Council.
The Ministry said after being held as a separate event in 2017, the Exposition has now returned as one of the main events of the Linden Town Week festivities.
Services and products on display range from arts and craft to beverages, literature, alternative energy appliances and equipment, spices, and value-added products including jams and jellies, confectionary, peanut butter, and seasonings.
