LOCAL Government and Regional Development (LGRD) Minister Mr. Ganga Persaud remains unperturbed by reports from regional councillors of frequent conflicts between regional executive officers (REOs) and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs).

In remarks made yesterday following a training workshop for councillors, facilitated in the LGRD Ministry’s boardroom, Minister Persaud averred that the work environment is often characterised by disagreements; but he noted that the extent of the discord varies among the 10 different RDCs.

“Yes, there are disagreements. There are times (when) REOs can be much more sensitive and much more receptive,” Persaud conceded, but opined that the conflicts are a result of REOs operating more deliberately instead of with an expediency seemingly favoured by councillors.

“Sometimes lack of knowledge, inexperience…can cause [councillors to want] things to happen one way [even] when it offends the law,” Persaud posited, adding: “There are other times (when) they [REOs] need to hold their ground so as to ensure the law [is upheld.]”

Lament
Councillors nevertheless continued to lament the “uncooperative” stance of REOs. One councillor from Region 10, observing that administrative powers are vested in the office of the regional executive officer, claimed that the REO from his region has hamstrung the operations of the council, since “motions and recommendations [the council passes] are not acted upon [by the REO]”.

Another councillor, Oswald Junor, from Region 8, charged that, that region’s REO is out to “mash up de place.” He told this newspaper that that REO doesn’t “correspond with the council”, and doesn’t “do anything”. According to him, the Region 8 REO fails to honour timely requests from the heads of the region’s various departments.

Junor also suggested that because of the REO’s alleged filibustering, the Region 8 schools ran short of supplies, and this may have been a factor in the poor performance registered by the region’s students in the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). According to him, no student scored above 500 marks in the examinations.
He added that, last year, the Region 8 RDC had passed a motion of no confidence in the competence of the REO.
Reject

“Definitely not!” Minister Persaud declared, when asked to respond to critics’ claim that the REOs who are appointed by the Government are pawns of the administration and are being used to obstruct the work of the councils.

Inferring that the clashes are exaggerated, he posited: “While you seek to minimise conflict, one recognises conflict is the essence of human existence.”