An Open Letter to Sharma Solomon, Mayor of Linden

Mar 10, 2024 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Quite recently, your outbursts have become libellous, scandalous and disrespectful. Your continuous tirade, lies and untruths have been ongoing for years and they have been misleading.

On behalf of myself and family I will attempt to address some of issues that is undermining my family and the well-being of Linden. Your deceitful and envious behaviour towards our success, coupled with your politicization of the town’s affairs, has led us to believe that you may very well be the worst mayor Linden has ever seen.

My recent endeavours to utilize a plot of land, once a dump site, for the development of affordable low income model housing has been under scrutiny since you elevated to being the Mayor for reasons unknown, this attitude only signifies your bitter hatred and jealousy of me and by extension the Kashif & Shanghai Organisation.

Instead of supporting initiatives that benefit the community, you seem more interested in prioritizing political agendas over the welfare of Linden residents.

This Villa Project is a partnership with investors from Canada and Trinidad. Last year we successfully hosted an Expo at the Villa Complex which was well accepted in the community. You continuously has been enquiring on who owns the land. Lindeners have been engaging the developers and two (2) houses have been built to date.

Your hatred for the Kashif & Shanghai Organisation and myself was evident when you supported Christopher Matthias over me when we contested for the Presidency of the Guyana Football Federation. Due to your deceitful attitude the same Matthias had cause to suspend you from all football activities.

You were one of the architects who initiated for the boycotting of the K & S Tournament. A move which contributed to the downfall of the level of football in Guyana as can be seen now based on the standard and level of play that is being displayed today. I hope your memory serves you well that it is the K & S Organisation that was responsible for a number of footballers primarily from Linden to earn overseas contract which contributed to their level of play being uplifted. The Greatest footballer in the World King Pele visited these shores compliments of K & S, one of our greatest achievements.

The first and probably the only time in its existence, The Guyana National Stadium at Providence was filled to capacity when we hosted a football final including two (2) local football teams. Moreover, your apparent disregard for the importance of preserving tourist attractions, such as the Blue Lake Kara Kara Linden, in favour of pursuing personal vendettas is concerning.

The Kashif and Shanghai organization, which has been instrumental in organizing events like the Linden Town Week festivities, has faced unwarranted animosity from you and the town council. It is evident that your actions will lead to the decline of these events, which were once a source of pride and economic benefit for the region. The idea of Town Week was conceptualized by the K & S Organisation.

However, your brutal hatred for K & S was evident when you honoured another individual who started Town Day implying that he stared Town Week. The entire Linden Community are aware how it started but you have been playing the proverbial Ostrich.

The Town Week was not formulated as a Fund raiser for the Linden Town Council to benefit I urge you to leave the town week activities to the promoters, the vendors, the taxi drivers, the restaurants and all those who will benefit, focus on beautifying Linden, the Blue Lake which has garbage strewn all over and that needs to be cleaned and maintained.

I commend former Mayor Mrs. Arandale for her efforts to beautify the Community, including the creation of a theme park and playground. It is disheartening to witness the regression under your leadership, particularly your decision to shift the town’s birthday events to accommodate personal interests. The biggest mistake that happened in Linden is electing you to the Mayorship position, from 2015 to 2020 you were off the scene but suddenly you arose out of your slumber to come to destroy the township of Linden.

When you were Chairman you organized street protest and picketing exercise for a number of things including the acquisition of a TV Station but we are still awaiting this Station. Furthermore, your attacks on my sons, who have continued our legacy of contributing to Linden’s development, are unjustified.

While our family has worked tirelessly to bring benefits to the community, your sole contribution seems to be the monument of three (3) martyrs at Silvertown which will be your only legacy, this bridge fiasco was under your leadership. The New Era Entertainment, spearheaded by my sons, has sought to enhance the infrastructure and services in Linden, including installing lights and pavilions at the retrieve hard-court and improving telecommunications services.

Yet, your failure to respond to their requests for event dates demonstrates a lack of support for progress in the town. Being such a callous, disrespectful and vindictive person, you even embarrassed the former President Brigadier David Granger when he visited Linden a few years ago, this shows blatant disregard to authority.

Instead of fostering unity among Lindeners, you persist in causing division and promoting a political agenda. It is time for you to prioritize the needs of the community over personal interests and commit to the development of Linden. In Closing I urge you to restrain from being so vindictive and deceitful as you go about your chores of trying to develop Linden. Mr Mayor I have lots of other deficiencies that you perpetuated but space does not permit me to address them at this moment.

May Allah Bless you.

Sincerely,

Aurbrey Major Sr.

Kashif and Shanghai Organization

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• Aurbrey Major Sr., continuous, Kashif and Shanghai Organization, Mayor of Linden, Sharma Solomon

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