By Svetlana Marshall

REFUTING allegations that he was overstepping his boundary as the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr Rupert Hopkinson has, in his defence, said he would not sit idly by and allow the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) – dominated by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillors — to stymie the development of the Pomeroon-Supenaam District.Addressing reporters in the region during a press conference called by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of State Joseph Harmon during the ‘Meet the Public Day’ at Perth Park, Hopkinson refuted this allegation and said the RDC is divided on issues of development; hence, the support element is missing.

Residents had complained that the REO was micromanaging the region, usurping the duties of even the engineers within the region; but Hopkinson denied that this was so.

Mr Hopkinson posited: “I think the RDC is on a mission to thwart our efforts. It you thwart our efforts then you give the impression that much is not being done for the region.”

Mr Hopkinson said he would often admonish Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt on the importance of putting aside their political differences for the development of the region.
“I have said to the Chairman: ‘If we don’t come together, if we don’t agree, then production is simply going to be stymied’.”

Questioned on whether he would have taken any unilateral decision, Mr Hopkinson responded in the negative. “I have always done things with the knowledge of the Chairman, but not necessarily with his concurrence,” he told reporters. “Do we wait until someone says ‘yes’ at the expense of production, at the expense of the development of the region? Do we wait?”

PRESSURED
Hopkinson strongly believes that the Regional Chairman is in support of the development of the region but is being pressured by his colleagues to pursue an anti-development agenda.

“You know what the Regional Chairman would have said to me, ‘I have nothing against progress, but the guys are saying that I am too soft’. I know that deep down inside, he wants to see development. In his mind, he believes that we should continue our work, (but) he tells me that the guys don’t want him to support our work, and so I understand.”

However, in order to pursue his developmental agenda, REO Hopkinson would often solicit the support of communities at the level of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). He said
he has been able to convince the residents and the business community to fulfill their corporate responsibility, hence they had been actively involved in the development of the region.

NO SUCH DISCUSSION
But, on Friday, the Regional Chairman told the Guyana Chronicle that he never had any such discussion with the REO pertaining to him being influenced to pursue an anti-developmental agenda. Mr Ramdatt said it is Mr Hopkinson who is failing the people of the region. He explained that, on a monthly basis, the Council is convened and developmental issues would be raised; and the REO, being the clerk of the Council, would be given clear instructions.
But, Mr Ramdatt said, the minutes of these meetings would show that the REO had, on numerous occasions, failed to execute his duties.

“Even councillors from the APNU+AFC Government have expressed dissatisfaction that problems identified by the Council are not being addressed by the REO,” Ramdatt charged.

Instead of executing his duty, Mr Ramdatt reported, Mr Hopkinson has been overstepping his professional boundaries.

“In December, he employed an admin officer when there was never a post for that position. The person’s service was terminated this year, (but) I wasn’t aware,” Mr Ramdatt pointed out, noting that Mr Hopkinson could not justify his decision to hire an admin officer, or his decision to terminate his service without the approval of the Chairman or the Council.

According to Mr Ramdatt, it is clear that Mr Hopkinson does not understand his functions.
“He has to understand that this is not the private sector, and he doesn’t own the region. Mr Hopkinson needs to understand that he is a public servant and not an elected official,” the Regional Chairman said.

However, he said he is prepared to sit with the REO to address problems for the betterment of the people of Essequibo.