Dear Editor,
IT is with very deep concern that I am once again penning yet another letter so that the public can be aware of the unscrupulous behaviour of the PPP regional chairman in Region Five. This said type of unwanted and unprofessional conduct had caused the council to go almost several months without a meeting in 2016. The RDC held its Statutory Meeting on Thursday, 20th April, 2017 in its boardroom. The meeting was off to a good start, although I had questioned the regional chairman of intentionally hiding correspondence coming to the region through his office for public sharing. This matter was raised on several occasions. The chairman has been hiding those letters so that people in the region cannot benefit. The particular letter I am referring to was sent by the Ministry of Communities, Department of Housing for residents of the region who are qualified to have a $50,000 rebate during December 2016. This rebate would have benefited hundreds of poor families but instead, the chairman wants to make the councillors and administration a scapegoat by denying the people their benefits.
According to the chairman, during the time of the rebate he had proceeded on leave and all missives were handed over to the vice-chairman who will be acting as chairman. However, let me state that the chairman denied having knowledge of any first letter. The VC at the February and March month of the RDC Statutory meetings made it clear that when he received or had knowledge of the said letter the date had already passed.
The VC then went to the REO and shared the letter with him. However, the REO in the presence of the VC did make some contact with the said agency so as to see what could be done, but was told that the extension would not be possible because if granted it will have to be for all the regions. The contention here is, the chairman is denying having any knowledge of a first letter that will inform him and the region of the rebate, but admitted that four persons were given the opportunity to go and were all disqualified because of their income status.
It really puzzles me and the rest of my fellow APNU+AFC Region Councillors, who seem to be the only persons sitting on the council want an answer as to why the REO was never informed, so that he could have made public for the people to benefit and where is the first letter if four persons went for the rebate?.
The chairman at the last RDC meeting said that he would launch an investigation into the matter. I hope that investigation will be done before the next statutory meeting in May 2017. What the chairman is also trying to tell us as councilors, is that there was never a first letter but the last letter that came to his office after the process\rebate would have been concluded. It is a shame that this man is trying to pull wool over our eyes, but he must be aware by now, we on the APNU+AFC side are no walk overs and never will be, especially when he lies to the council and deny the people of the region their benefits.
The real problem started when we came to Any Other Business on the day’s agenda. I stood to enlighten the council of a matter whereby an excavator that was contracted to do works for NDIA within the region is being used\put to do private work at the back of Bath Settlement by the chairman and VC of the Bath\Woodley Park NDC. On the 31st March, 2017, I received several complaints from residents of Bath Settlement that the machine is being used to do private work that will benefit a few in the said area, the location was at the back of the burial ground.
Upon my visit to the said area the next day, I saw the excavator doing some work. When I enquired from the operator, he told me that he was assigned to fill a breach on the dam that will cause flooding. It was evident that some private work was also done. I then left and on April 4th, 2017, again I received several calls, whereby residents complained about the said machine being used to clear bushes for the two individuals and the NDIA\Machine supervisor to plant cash crops. On the 5th April, 2017 I informed the REO and just after lunch, we visited the area. The machine was seen clearing bushes.
The REO then enquired of the operator, what was the purpose of clearing the bushes and who directed him to do so. The operator said that he was mandated by the two individuals from the Bath\Woodley Park NDC and the NDIA\Machine supervisor to do same. However, it was very evident that no excavation works were done to the nearby canal. We were also told that he was mandated to make stop offs for a few private rice farmers.
The REO, who is the administrator of the region and was given the task to mandate those NDIA-hired machines on a daily basis, told the operator to cease works until he (REO) gets back to him. At around 15:00 (3 pm) on the same day, I received more calls that the machines moved farther down the said dam clearing bushes. I then went again, upon enquiring from the operator as to, who gave him permission to restart working he said to me, that the said three persons make contact with NDIA Georgetown and an official (name called) told them to continue the work.
I again made contact with the REO and told him of the happenings. Pictures were taken on both occasions, when the REO visited and when I revisited the area on the said day. Upon hearing this, the chairman got upset and said that he needs evidence of the allegations. I offered to provide him with pictures immediately but he refused, saying those pictures may not be good for evidence.
I then asked him to consult with the REO of the region who is also the Clerk of the Council, because he was present at the site. He again refused, saying that is also not enough evidence. This is where the clerk then asked the chairman if he is questioning his creditability and integrity at this moment especially towards this matter which he knows and was part of the visiting team.
The chairman still said that cannot be enough evidence. I then asked, are you (chairman) saying that the clerk would lie to this council, although he is in the pictures that I can provide? Because the clerk is also answerable to the council, the uproar started as the chairman denied the councillors orders for the REO to address us on this matter. Furthermore, it then seems as if the chairman was questioning the truthfulness of the clerk who is the REO and saying he would lie, which will put the REO’s reputation at stake. The clerk then asked that if the chairman is suggesting to the council that he is not proper to address the matter, when he was asked by councillors to do so, and that he would leave because it will put a dent to his reputation for not answering and telling the council the truth about the said matter. The chairman in his hasty and nasty matter told the clerk that he can walk out when he feels like. That is when the APNU+AFC councillors saw the disrespectfulness shown to the clerk by the chairman and proceeded to leave the meeting in support of the clerk.
Furthermore, the chairman told staff and heads of department that also proceeded on leave that they are APNU+AFC supporters\workers in the region and that is why they are leaving. This was told to us by the staff and heads of department after we left the boardroom. The PPP chairman seems to be calling upon himself yet another repeat as to what had happened in 2016. This young man needs to learn and allow the people of the region to benefit when they ought to. He needs to stop having his cabals using the machines for their personal work. I would like to clearly say that, we the councillors sitting on the APNU+AFC government side of the house are calling for the Regional Chairman to immediately apologise in writing to the Council, the clerk of the RDC, who is also the REO and to all RDC staff and Heads of department who were present on the April 20th, 2017 sitting of the RDC.
Failing to do same as requested, we should again chart another course until he shows some respect to the RDC and people of Region Five. This has nothing to do with politics, but merely about the manner of how the chairman is handling the region’s affairs. Our people should have benefitted from this government initiative but the PPP chairman plays politics with them. This PPP Chairman continues to show his disrespectfulness to the council, administration and to the people of Region Five and we the councillors on the APNU+AFC government side of the house will not tolerate such behaviour.
Regards
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Regional Councillor
Region Five