THE Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) elections were held across the regions yesterday and several new faces were elected to administrate over programmes and policies implemented for the benefit of residents.  Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud, who has responsibility over the regional bodies, urged the newly elected officials to work in unity and to continue the regions’ development.
Speaking to media personnel at his Kingston office last evening, Minister Persaud said, “Now that the elections are through and we have elected chairs and vice chairs, it is very important that they see themselves as a team in each region and that they work in unity of purpose to enhance the continued development within their respective regions.”
He is hopeful that they will not allow issues to divide the councils in any way.
“The ministry stands ready to work with all these councils and to provide as much support as is required to ensure that the necessary services are provided to all citizens.”
Persaud said that the ministry looks forwards to the great dynamism that can come to bear on the work of each of these 10 regions and also expressed satisfaction with the election process.

Ministers of Government and Senior Government officials were in attendance at each of the 10 regional elections exercise and offered guidance and shared some expectations with the various elected officials. Minister in the Ministry of Local Government Norman Whittaker was on-hand at the election in Region One-Barima-Waini.
Minister Whittaker spoke to the Government Information Agency (GINA) following this exercise and he conveyed satisfaction over the officials elected to the post. “I believe that it is a good council,” he said and drew attention to the fact that the council, in addition to having a gender mix (five of the persons elected are females) also has a youthful presence.
“I did give a charge to the council, I did indicate to them that the work of a council goes beyond just attending meetings of standing committees and RDC statutory meetings, and that they must be a councillor for all the regions, for all the people 365 days a year,” Whittaker said.
Eight of the regions cast their votes by show of hands, whilst Regions 7 and 9 voted using secret ballots. The councillors were elected first and they in turn elected the Regional Chairmen who in turn shared the votes for the Regional Vice Chairmen. A few of the officials from some of the regions were unable to be a part of the election process as issues such as transportation prevented them from attending.
Following the 2011 General National and Regional Elections the 205 regional seats were apportioned accordingly to the following parties: the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) 102 seats, A Partnership For Unity (APNU) 73 seats, Alliance For Change (AFC) 28 seats and The United Force (TUF)   2 seats.

Elected Regional Chairmen and Regional Vice Chairmen and Regional Officials for the 10 Regional Democratic Councils are as follows:

Region 1- Barima-Waini
Regional Chairman-Paul Errol Pierre (PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman-Fermin Singh (PPP/C)

Councillors
Donna Ann Bowen- APNU, Victor Hernandez-APNU, Rennita Williams-APNU, Dolores Abrams- AFC, Ignatius Adams- PPP/C,
Westley Albert- PPP/C, Mark O’Boyle- PPP/C, Kenny James- PPP/C, Ernest Samuels- PPP/C, Chandle Marcia St Justice-PPP/C

Region 2- Pomeroon-Supenaam
Regional Chairman-Parmanand Persaud (PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman – Samaroo(PPP/C)

Councillors
Linda Duncan –APNU, Rudolph Garraway-APNU, Wazeer Lapiff-APNU, Wazeda Bacchus-PPP/C, Arlene Boyan-PPP/C, Vilma Da Silva-PPP/C,  Eulie Henry-PPP/C, Mohamed Farook Khan-PPP/C,
Humace Oodit-PPP/C, Basil Persaud-PPP/C, Shanta Springer-PPP/C, Rosaline Thomas-PPP/C, Rudolph Williams-PPP/C, Archie Cordis-AFC, Naitram-AFC

Region 3-Essequibo Islands-West Demerara
Regional Chairman: Julius Oliver Faerber (PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman: Azam Pasha Mohamed (PPP/C)

Councillors
Kathlene Armstrong-APNU, Perry Orlanda Birbal-APNU, Deon Cheryl Gould-APNU, Eviton Gulliver-APNU, Alshazie Baksh, Ramlakhan-APNU, George Orville Stuart-APNU, Naseer Ahmad-PPP/C,  Sheik Mohamed Ayube-PPP/C, Esau Dookie-PPP/C, Lindon Samson Fowler-PPP/C, Leotha Abiola Greene-PPP/C, Mohamed Liaquat Hussain-PPP/C, Nazir Khan-PPP/C, Parmanand Kusial-PPP/C,  Khusial Mangra-PPP/C, Azam Pasha Mohamed-PPP/C,  Roopchand-PPP/C, Geneva Alysia Sami-PPP/C, Parmanand Samlall-PPP/C, Chandroutie Sarrran-PPP/C, Pauline Valencia Scipio-PPP/C, Harripaul Shivcharran Yaidat -PPP/C, Kamal Narine-AFC ,  Harry Deokinanan-AFC

Region 4-Demerara-Mahaica
Regional Chairman-Clement Corlette (APNU)
Regional Vice Chairman- Genevieve Allen (APNU)

Councillors
Deon Forbes Abrams-APNU, Cleon Belgrave-APNU, Raymond Bostwick-APNU, Komota Copeland-APNU, Yonnet Fortune-APNU,  Troy Gordon Garraway-APNU, Leslie Ewart Glasglow-APNU , Linda Haley-Gomes-APNU,  Leyland Harcourt-APNU,
Floyd Patrick Hendy-APNU,  Shondel Hope-APNU, Ramrattie Jagdeo-APNU, Annetta Marks-APNU, Majeed Ekbaal Ali Mazarool-APNU, Maureen Allison Philadelphia-APNU, Hazel Pinder-APNU, Lloyd Kenneth Roberts-APNU, Raymond Azeez-PPP/C, Jainauth Bhikhari-PPP/C, Dianne Maureen-PPP/C, Bhagwantie M Dass –PPP/C, Tasleem Drepaul –PPP/C, Ramkarran Kissoon –PPP/C, Desmond Edroy Morian –PPP/C, Narindra Persaud –PPP/C, Chandrowtee Ramnarain –PPP/C, Sean  Richmond –PPP/C, Govind Singh – PPP/C, Dhanpall Sukhdeo-PPP/C, Ovid Wilson –PPP/C, Denise Davidson- AFC, Sixtus Edwards-AFC

Region 5-Mahaica-Berbice
Regional Chairman-Bindrabhan Bisnauth-(PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman- Rion Lancedale Peters

Councillors
Culbert Vincent Abal-APNU, Emerson Benjamin-APNU, Carol Anetta Smith-Joesph-APNU, Kenneth Sealey-APNU, Tacoor Singh-APNU, Gloria Lindo Wolfe-APNU, Sameer Ally-PPP/C, Sandra Baldeo-PPP/C, Bassodeo-PPP/C, Bindra Bisnauth-PPP/C,
Seechanlall Chandilall-PPP/C, Gweneth Ann Mitchell-PPP/C, Salima Yacoob-PPP/C, Vickhand Ramphal-PPP/C, Hernan Anthony-AFC, Cindy Sookdeo-AFC

Region 6-East Berbice-Corentyne
Regional Chairman: Permaul Armoogan (PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman: Bhupal Jhagroo (PPP/C)

Councillors
Kerwin Crawford Jnr-APNU, Debra Hurst-APNU, Hazrat Husain-APNU, Agnes McDonald-APNU, Reerakraj Poonai-APNU,  Jevaughn Stephen-APNU, Zulaka Ali-PPP/C, Warren Barlow-PPP/C,  Anil Beharry-PPP/C Gloria BeHarry-PPP/C, Silas Bennett-PPP/C,  Lloyd Douglas-PPP/C, Roy Hanoman-Singh-PPP/C, Zamal Hussain-PPP/C, Bijulee Moti-PPP/C, Thakoor Persaud-PPP/C,  Ahilia Ramcharran-PPP/C, Bidwatee Roopnarine-PPP/C, Gurudat Shiwprasad-PPP/C, Bevon-Sinclair-PPP/C, Erwin Abdullah-AFC , Manbode Balgobin-AFC , Michael Hintzen-AFC,
Rohan Jagassar-AFC, Donna Mathoo-AFC, Mohamad Mookshah-AFC, Haseef Yusulf-AFC

Region 7-Cuyuni-Mazaruni
Regional Chairman-Gordon Bradford (APNU)
Regional Vice Chairman-Anita Thomas, (APNU)

Councillors
Mary Jones- APNU, Calmeth Younge-APNU, Nical King-APNU, Keron Hastings-APNU, Juliette Rahaman-APNU, Keron Andrews-APNU, Olinda Griffith-AFC, Marjorie Wong- PPP/C, Van Menderson-PPP/C , Anthony Murray-PPP/C, Elvis Sheram-PPP/C, John Spencer-PPP/C, Richard Peters-PPP/C

Region 8-Potaro-Siparuni
Regional Chairman: Mark Crawford (AFC)
Regional Vice Chairman: Cornel Edwards (APNU)

Councillors
John Roth King-APNU, Gloria Scipio-APNU, Senor Bell-PPP/C, Lucinda Miller-PPP/C, Maxwell Andrews-PPP/C, Patrick Anicpus-PPP/C, Aubrey Skeete-AFC, Clyde Edwards-AFC, Williams Gouveia-AFC,  Bridget Marco-AFC, Naeem Gafoor-AFC, Marcello Stanislaus-TUF

Region 9-Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Regional Chairman: Wilson William Lorentio-(PPP/C)
Regional Vice Chairman: Douglas Edwards Casimero (PPP/C)

Councillors
Muacir Baretto-APNU, Vincent Henry-APNU, Carl Parker-APNU, Dionysia Thres-APNU, Bryan Allicock-PPP/C, Helita Edwards-PPP/C, Ken Faria-PPP/C, Emeric Francis-PPP/C, Wilson Lorentio-PPP/C, Alfred Ramsarran-PPP/C, Corenne Tacoordeen-PPP/C, Cousma Frank-AFC, Brian Rodrigues-AFC, Trevor Mansingh-TUF

Region 10-Upper Demerara-  Upper Berbice
Regional Chairman: Kuice Sharma Solomon (APNU)
Regional Vice Chairman: Bryon Wilmont Lewis (APNU)

Councillors
Mayfield Demattos Green-APNU Leon Barrette-APNU, Morris Butters-APNU, Franklin Augustus Carew-APNU, Stanley McKinley Collins-APNU, Diana Dolphin-APNU, Douglas Charles Gittens-APNU, Leslie Ransford Gonsalves-APNU, Charles Clarence Sampson-APNU, Gerald Whittington-APNU, Naomi Alexanderia Xavier-APNU, Phillip Noel Fordyce-PPP/C, Carmen Leslyn Rambaran-PPP/C, Campton Ovid Fraser-PPP/C, Elroy Adolph-AFC, Audwin Rutherford-AFC