The crowd that turned out at the Linden Road Mash last Sunday was said to have been the largest in the past 10 years, while live coverage by the Linden TV Station was credited for prompting many to leave their homes and join the celebrations.

The event kicked off at about 1:30 pm with four secondary schools moving from the main junction at Mackenzie - Linden Foundation Secondary, Wismar- Christianburg Secondary, Wisburg Secondary and New Silver City Secondary.

Speaking with Stabroek News, event organiser Leon Roberts said that he was impressed with the support received, noting that a number of bands joined the parade on their own initiative. He also commended the police officers who were highly cooperative in controlling the traffic and maintaining law and order.

The incident-free celebrations ended promptly at 8 pm.

Others in the float parade were the Regional Democratic Council's King and Queen Costumes, Don Gomes Optical, the Burrowes School of Art from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the DDL Soca band and the Cell Link band.

The floats were accompanied by a large crowd of revellers dancing along to the Washer Pond Road, down Casuarina Drive, across the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge on to the Wismar shore and then along Burnham Drive into the Christianburg Community Centre Ground.

On the Wismar end of the bauxite mining town, Burnham Drive was soon overcrowded with floats, revellers, and spectators. It took the revellers approximately four and half hours to move along the stretch estimated at about two miles.

But the presence of E & F Division police ranks greatly facilitated the one-hour coverage by the local television station although this was mainly restricted to the Silvertown area.

The TV crew then hurried away to the Christianburg Community Centre Ground hoping to capture the culmination of the celebrations but there was no electricity in the area. However that was said to have been the only setback for the afternoon as Lindeners celebrated the 34th anniversary of the Republic and Mashramani in the town where it all started.