Decision to sub-franchise Linden Town Week 2018 not entirely popular

Sep 02, 2017 News

---

Several Lindeners have expressed disappointment with a recent decision by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) not to franchise out the Linden Town Week as a whole, but to sub-franchise various events. Some have even openly expressed the view, that the LMTC does not possess either the capacity or the wherewithal to successfully host the event.
“I think they should have given the franchise to Kashif and Shanghai, because these guys have an excellent track record in hosting events. We had the best town week the year these guys had the franchise. Personally I think the council erred in their decision”, a fan of the two promoters claimed.
Those sentiments were echoed by several others, with one woman declaring “is covetousness …..They just covetous, because dey know to deyself dat dey can’t run it!”

PILLAR OF INCLUSION
But the LMTC is adamant that their decision is a good one – that would involve everyone.
The Linden Town Week is tentatively set for a November launching, but the actual event would be hosted from April 22nd to May 1st 2018.
At a recently hosted press conference at the LMTC council, media operatives were updated on plans for the event.
Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland asserted, “Town Week is bigger than any stakeholder, promoter or investor, since it has grown to be the hallmark event of the Town over the last 21 years.
Chairman of the social development committee of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, Keeran Williams, said that Town Week 2018 would be a pillar of inclusion.
“Linden Town Week belongs to the people of Linden, under the stewardship of the Linden municipality.”
Noting that the Town Week is one of the most anticipated activities in the hearts and minds of Lindeners, Williams said that it is with that in mind, that it became imperative that the event be executed in the interest of the people of the town.
He added that over the years the event would have been hosted, with three main models – these included the municipality acting as an oversight body, allowing stakeholders to combine as the Linden Town Week Committee to execute the event on behalf of the people; another which involved the franchising out of the event to a private promoter; and the collaborative effort, which seeks to have partners join forces, in what is considered ”the engine” to run the event.
Williams said that the three models have all had their levels of success, and it was by examining the latter that determined this year’s decision, which is to have the Linden Town Week 2018 be the ‘pillar of inclusion”.
“Inclusion continues to be the focus of this municipality, and one  major pillar and premise under which we seek to move forward the Linden Town Week, is to ensure that every Lindener, every partner, every stakeholder is given an equality opportunity to actively participate in this process.
“As we examine the vision, and we think that most Lindeners share this vision – that Linden Town Week has the potential to be one of, if not the greatest socio-economic activity in Guyana. We must recognise that it has the potential to bring the level of tourism that will allow for economic stimulation that equals to some of the major cultural activities across the region. So we believe that the only way that this could be achieved, is by having each and every Lindener having an equal opportunity to participate in the process.”
Another councilor, Devin Sears, said that one of the considerations by the Council, was the duration of franchise. “One of the things that we did not want to do was to commit to a contract that the next council would inherit, similar to what happened with this council, when we came in 2016.”
Sears said that if contracts were to be awarded they would not go beyond a year. He disclosed that some persons had wanted contracts for five years.
“Council will not disenfranchise any investor or promoter, we are not in the business of doing that – the Linden Mayor and Town Council is a not-for-profit entity; our interest is primarily the people of Linden. If they are happy, we are happy… they have elected us to represent them.”
As regards sub-franchising, Sears said that the Council will not be hosting every single event, as their main focus would be social development activities or family-oriented events. He said that the signature events, such as the “all black” and other parties would be sub-franchised, as the council would not be promoting any parties.
Sears acknowledged that several promoters had expressed interest in franchising the Town Week. Those included Kashif and Shanghai, VYBZ Entertainment, Xtra Beer and Energy and Concept Entertainment.
Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland, who expressed satisfaction with the process, said that the Linden Town Week has grown, and over the years various stakeholders were afforded the opportunity to participate.
One area of concern, though, he said, involved the main big lime, which he observed had a negative impact on small businesses which had to shut off at a certain time, thereby limiting their capacity for business. He elaborated further, “the projection of this model allows for the growth of SMEs (small and micro enterprises), so it’s more inclusive, allowing such businesses to flourish. (Enid Joaquin)

 

---

---