SOME chairpersons and overseers of the National Democratic Councils (NDC) across the country are putting political affiliation ahead of development of their respective communities by refusing to cooperate with the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) of their region.

Mahaica-Berbice REO, Ovid Morrison, in a recent interview with Guyana Chronicle noted that while the re-instatement of the local government system and the return of NDCs have made it easier for issues in respective communities to be reported, he has come across cases where NDC leaders would deliberately withhold reporting on issues in some communities.

He said the reasons for this are usually due to the political bias of the NDC heads, who are putting politics ahead of their own community development. This problem, he said, is not widespread.

“You have that but it’s not a challenge that you can say is general,” Morrison related, adding “That exists because in some of the NDCs, heads allow their political persuasion to control their responsibility to the community. So in as much as the residents may bring it to the NDC leadership, that leadership, because of its persuasion, may not communicate that to me. But I would still have a line of communication because sometimes the residents would bring it to my attention directly, but that delays the timeframe.”

There are 10 NDCs across Mahaica-Berbice. Morrison said in his capacity as REO he always tries to ensure that development is taking place across all the NDCs, regardless of political affiliation.

A talk with other REOs reveal that the problem is not one affecting only Morrison.
In Pomeroon-Supenaam, REO Denis Jaikarran said when he comes across such cases, he impresses upon the antagonists to put the interests of their fellow residents first.
“We try to speak to them, we never rule them, we always have them in mind, we always cooperate with them and we try to engage them at all times, we don’t rule them out at any time,” he told Guyana Chronicle.

“Regardless of our circumstances, we put the people first so we can have them cooperate with us; it is up to them to do what they have to do. We try as much as possible to engage them and move forward in a democratic way. Quietly, we speak to them or when they are at the meeting we say to them look there’s this togetherness and we need to work, we have the same objectives we are dealing with the people and we must develop.”
PROUD

Overall, he said he is proud of the cooperation between the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the NDCs in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region, which has some eight NDCs. Jaikaran keeps updated on the issues in the respective NDCs through bi-monthly meetings with the heads.

Last month, President David Granger spoke on the need to put partisanship aside when it comes to the welfare of citizens. He was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of the second National Conference of Local Democratic Organs (NCLDO)

The conference is a platform to bring together the leadership of all three layers of government with the particular aim of empowering local democratic organs, including the RDCs, NDCs and municipalities, with a focus on capacity building.
However, the second year, a few of the Opposition-controlled NDC and RDC chairpersons chose to boycott the conference.

“We have to work together, across the divides of class, geography, politics and race to bring improvements to our people. It is regrettable that for the second time, that this forum… has become a victim of a partisan boycott. Who gains? The people lose when their officials boycott, whether it is the National Assembly or a forum organised by the minister of communities,” the President had said.
In Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) REO, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall said while the issue exists in her region, she has been managing to unsure progress is made.

NO SMOOTH SAILING
“I don’t bring my party affiliation to my work and that’s what I have asked of the NDCs, don’t bring your party affiliation to the work. In my region, the only NDC chairperson who thinks he’s the REO is the one at Hydronie Good Hope, but I can deal with them,” Ferreira-Dougall affirmed, who took over the reigns as the region’s REO just last year December.
“That’s the only NDC that I have slight problems with but it’s nothing that I can’t handle. They tend to want to do their own thing but that doesn’t stop us from doing what we have to do in the region because I am here to serve the people of Region Three.”

In the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region (Region Nine), REO Carl Parker said resistance against getting projects done in the region comes more from the regional chairman, vice chairman, and mayor than the lone NDC.

“We don’t have any problem with the NDC here, our biggest problem is with the town council, and even at the RDC level the regional vice-chairman doesn’t relate at all to the administration. He has adopted a posture of non-cooperation with the administration. So we have our little problems here,” Parker informed the Guyana Chronicle.

“In the town, the elected officials of the town would do things to make us look bad. For example, they have the responsibility of taking care of the roads in the township and those roads are in a deplorable situation. But local government is relatively new in the Rupununi and historically people look to the RDC for everything. So the roads are going bad and they are still blaming the RDC even though it is the town council that is in charge of the town.”