THE February 17 report in the Stabroek news, page 12, captioned, ‘’Another Mc Coy, Corlette fracas disrupts Region Four meeting’’ is a perfect example of under reporting by this newspaper.  
The newspaper first of all was not present at the meeting and in its attempt to report the story missed another opportunity to highlight the real issue. This story represents under reporting except where it accurately described the agitation of Councillor Kwame Mc Coy without finding it useful to either report accurately or include in its story the demeanour of the Regional Chairman, Mr. Clement Corlette, perhaps conveniently so. 
The motion which Councillor Mc Coy requested discussion on as a matter of urgent public business was properly put to the Council. The Regional Chairman’s ill-informed argument about the need for a 96 hours notice before any such motion can be put to the Council again highlights is ignorance of the laws of Guyana governing the operations of the RDC.  Chapter 28:01: section 56 of the Municipal and District Councils Act states:
‘’A motion to suspend the standing orders may be made at any meeting of a Council without notice and shall be voted upon without debate, but no such motion shall be passed except upon the vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the councilors present and voting.’’
Mr. Ashford Ambedkar who was performing the duties of Clerk at the statutory meeting advised the Council that the motion was in order and in-keeping with the laws. But despite Mr. Ambedkar’s advice and the majority of Councillors indicating their urge to proceed with the motion, Mr. Corlette ‘unilaterally’ decided and insisted he was not going to entertain the motion. 
The High Court action itself is a classic example of Mr. Corlette’s dictatorial style as it was initiated by him without consultation with Councillors. Any matter of such grave importance ought to have been discussed and proceeded on with consensus.
The ruling on the Court matter highlighted Mr. Corlette’s entrenched conceptual misunderstanding of the local government system and has brought upon all of us Councillors, undue embarrassment. What people are deducing from this is that all Councillors of the Region Four share the same level of ignorance about the local government system, their role, functions and responsibilities. This is unfair and embarrassing to us especially since we were never part and parcel of any decision to file any Court action against the Regional Executive Officer.
Councillors have repeatedly signaled the misdirection of the Council based Mr. Corlette’s entrenched conceptual misunderstandings of his role, functions and responsibilities.