…accuses council of fraud
REGIONAL Executive Officer (REO) of Region Two, Rupert Hopkinson, is maintaining his innocence in the face of a no-confidence motion which the Opposition-controlled Regional Democratic Council (RDC) plans to move against him.
The RDC has alleged that Hopkinson failed as the REO by not implementing several projects. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle recently, Hopkinson said he is not at all fazed by the actions of the Opposition side of the RDC, while noting that he has done nothing wrong.
The REO said he has evidence to support his contention that there is fraud within the Council and those guilty of same must be made answerable. He said the claim of the slow implementation of projects in the region is not solely his responsibility, but that of the engineers as well.
“The engineers have been doing their work. We have awarded more than 90 per cent of our capital projects,” he said, adding that the remainder is under evaluation by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and as such, the region has no control over those projects.
Hopkinson said too that the region has not only been able to implement capital projects, but also current projects, while noting that all approved projects have been awarded and are ready for execution. If there are doubts, the REO said queries can be made to the Ministry of Finance.

“Something else that precipitated the no-confidence motion is my desire to minimise corruption. I have found corruption in the region that no one was willing to speak about. I am being metaphorically criticised or crucified for it,” remarked Hopkinson.
He explained that he has written the region’s engineer to advise on the amount of money spent to purchase lumber.

“It was noted that for the year 2014, the region spent $20,088,297 to purchase lumber. For the year 2015, the region spent $10, 097, 620 on the purchase of lumber while $8,900,000 in CHECK Orders/Vouchers are with the Regional Executive Officer to be signed for additional lumber,” a letter dated March 1, 2016 stated.
“What was the money used for…it is suspicious! The man who supplies the lumber or material either supplies material or the material goes elsewhere… or it goes to the bond where it is stored and it secretly comes out or the supplier doesn’t supply everything. Many people are aware of what is happening and nobody talks,” Hopkinson told the Guyana Chronicle as he presented documents to support his position.
He said the evidence which he has in his position has “vindicated the REO” and exposes the flaws that form the reason for “safeguarding, if not implementing projects.”
Hopkinson noted that the money that would have been used for other motives will now be used to “make my region nice.” He intends to build a library, repair some of the health centres in the region and backfill some low-lying areas.

“I have to do the job that I was asked to do… They can’t come to me and use their money to get me to do what they want,” said Hopkinson, who referenced a popular rice farmer who threatened him recently. He said serving as REO is a challenge as “things are intended to fuel the cause of the opposition.”
The REO said he is hopeful that the criticisms will not overpower the work he has been charged to do.

AWARDING OF CONTRACTS
Hopkinson said in the past it was observed that one contractor had won 11 contracts, but since he took office he sought to ensure that contracts are awarded across the board. He said there must be the fair and equal awarding of contracts to contractors.
“In awarding these contracts, you can’t give one man 11 contracts; now [the] highest number is four. Respect the decision of the tender board because it is fair…they will respect the office of the REO because he is fair.”
With all the irregularities that he has observed within Region Two, Hopkinson said he will not take action, but will report instances of fraud and other irregular activities to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities.
“There are lingering loyalties so…there are secret meetings with Opposition officials. Your work is made more difficult.”
He said there are persons who work with him that are “deliberately not working as they should. We can’t have people sabotaging our work,” he said, while expressing the belief that “non-cooperation should be outlawed.”

The clear differences Hopkinson said will “rip this nation apart,” while advising those who do not want to cooperate for a “better life” to “leave the job.”
“The level of difficulty in Region Two is huge. The level of difficulty… the tide that I have got to swim against is powerful. It almost takes your job away,” explained the REO.
Asked what motivates him despite the challenges, Hopkinson said the fact that he was born and raised in Region Two gives him the added desire and motivation to build the region.
“That is an opportunity I craved as a young man. That’s what keeps me going…their [the people’s] joys are my joys, their pains and sorrows are mine too.”
Hopkinson believes that the Opposition members of the RDC are currently looking for loopholes so as to move the no-confidence motion at their next meeting on July 12. They were initially supposed to move the motion on June 14.
The Region Two RDC has 17 councillors, of which 12 are from the PPP and five are from the APNU+AFC coalition. Two of those councillors are from the AFC.