Prime Minister Hinds lauds organisers of Linden Night
By Joe Chapman
Guyana Chronicle
February 2, 2004
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PRIME Minister Sam Hinds has lauded the efforts by the organisers on the staging of Linden Night 2004.
Speaking at the Friday opening of the two-day exhibition and trade fair on the grounds of the Mackenzie Sports Club, the Prime Minister commended the work of the planners on the breadth and scale of the event.
"These events give us an opportunity to showcase the goods and services that we can produce and are producing here in Guyana. And I do think that from year to year our goods and services are getting better. And that is the way it should be," Mr Hinds told the gathering.
He continued: "This year we have been trying to add another aspect to Guyana Night, since in our country now, one of our major problems is unemployment or the lack of employment. But at the same time we have high levels, too high levels, of poverty and AIDS. How do we solve these problems?"
Prime Minister Hinds continued, "Indeed we need to find a way to solve these problems together. We need to find a way to have our people more occupied, and occupied producing the things we need. So, yes, we need to look at the food, clothing and housing and the things that we need, to put ourselves to work to produce these things."
This time around, the Prime Minister said, Guyanese should be more earnest about work, and they should realise that “from our work, from our efforts that we would get the kind of living that we want".
He said he was pleased to see such a demonstration of opportunities, which has shown that there is an avenue for training in various areas such as agriculture and mining. He noted that the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) has a centre, which could advise farmers on the various methods of exporting produce.
The Prime Minister spoke of his pleasure over the arrangements for Linden Night, and he expressed the hope that many more persons would come out the following night to view the exhibits.
Organised by the Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock in collaboration with the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, the two-day event attracted the participation of the Administration of Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice), the Interim Management Committee of the Linden township, and the private sector. Playing a strong supporting role was the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP), which presented a seminar and also facilitated the construction of booths for the exhibition.
Among those on stage during the opening ceremony were: Regional Chairman Mr Mortimer Mingo; Interim Management Committee Chairman Mr Orrin Gordon; Regional Vice Chairman Ms Joy Walton; LEAP
International Project Manager Ms Kathleen Whalen; and Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation Mr Nizam Hussein.
Mr Gordon extended a warm welcome to the gathering and said he was pleased about the wide range of products displayed in colourful tents and booths. He said that the input of so many participants would help to motivate some Linden residents to make a contribution to the production processes of the Region.
Mr Mingo said, "Too often Guyanese are not aware of the variety of items grown and produced in their own country. With the knowledge gained from participation in this event, I am assured that we will be better able to be discriminating consumers assisting in the building of our productive sector through our support of all things that are truly Guyanese."