Dear Editor,

I BRING to the public’s attention the operations of Rupert Hopkinson, Clerk of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Two as he attempted to clear his name in the media for the poor performance of the Region’s implementation of the 2017 Budget.

It is well known by all in the Region, including Councillors, supporters of the APNU+ AFC Coalition, the private sector and other key stakeholders that the only reason for the lack of quality development in Region Two is due to the Clerk. His growing incompetence, high-handed manner in dealing with public affairs, irresponsible statements and blaming of staff for his failures can no longer be tolerated by the RDC. The RDC through our Regional Chairman and Councilors from both sides of the house made every dedicated effort to work along with Hopkinson to ensure that there is prudent management of resources, accountability, transparency and generally to ensure that there is equality in development.

Some of Hopkinson’s display of incompetence is listed below:
1. Failed parks initiatives that are underutilised and are now becoming pastures;
2. Ignoring farmers and by extension residents, by refusing to meet them when they approach his office (an elder from Danielstown was one of the many a victim);
3. Delay in the signing of contracts and payment vouchers, which is slowing the region’s spending;
4. Alleged abuse of huge sums of finance from the economic project accounts without RDC’s approval for his personal comfort;
5. Handpicking contractors without holding tender board meetings. In December of 2016 several projects were handpicked and given to contractors who completed these projects before an award was made by the Regional Tender Board (RTB), in fact the Regional Tender Board only met in March of 2017 to award these projects. As the Chairman of the Regional Tender Board, Hopkinson is literally putting the cart before the horse. The Suddie Hospital generator was further damaged by one handpicked contractor who lacks experience in servicing of such equipment. As such the generator is down for over one year now, several patients suffered as a result of this, especially while in surgery during blackouts from GPL;
Increasingly allegations are made against Hopkinson for being very discriminatory as Chairman of the RTB;
6. No meaningful follow-up is done by Hopkinson for major projects that requires the attention of NPTAB;
7. Many dams are left to further deteriorate in the cultivation areas due to his delay in signing approvals for the purchase of seals, filters, etc for the maintenance of machines and equipment to aid in the upgrading of dams. Several workers who cleaned the public road shoulders are yet to be paid for works completed in 2016.

Farmers and residents are suffering tremendously from Hopkinson’s negligence. These are only a few of the reasons that the RDC has been raising objections, since there are numerous pending matters the Clerk is not addressing.

As Chairperson of the Works and Agriculture Committee, a committee comprised of professionals and also elected officials from the Government, I most sincerely support the call for an independent investigation into the slow implementation of Budget 2017 and generally the poor management of the RDC’s funds by the Clerk of RDC, Mr. Rupert Hopkinson.

Regards
Nandranie Coonjah
Regional Vice-Chairperson
Chair – Works and Agriculture Committee