…says undaunted by protest, mischief makers

REGIONAL Executive Officer for Region Two, Rupert Hopkinson, said he will continue to invest his energies positively towards the development of the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region and not be distracted by the machinations of a few.

He was at the time speaking during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on his leadership and a recent protest by some council members. Hopkinson said since he took office there were a number of development and transformational projects that were executed under his stewardship. Some of which are the building of Parks, the rehabilitation of several schools, the transformation of the Cotton Field Community, the renovation of the Region’s State House, the beautification of the Town of Anna Regina and the installation of generators at the two leading hospitals just a name of few.

The REO said that while he remains focused and his intentions are clear, he has been confronted with a number of challenges which include; dealing with a majority opposition Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Councillors, the non-co-operation from staff attached to the Regional Administration and a few other “mischief makers” politicians.

Speaking on his absence at the last RDC meeting, he said he had to attend a meeting at the Ministry of Communities. He also explained that contacts were made via calls and emails to the regional chairman on his reasons for being absent. He said although his calls went unanswered an email was sent. In relation to claims by the opposition that the region’s budget was tampered with, Hopkinson said that the Regional Vice Chairperson, Nandranie Coonjah, who was acting chairman at the time, was invited to a special meeting by the Ministry of Finance to give her input in the budget but opted not to attend. Hopkinson said that councillors still can give their side on the budget and time is still available.

Mischief Makers
“While the REO is responsible, a number of people are placed at various departments to do their work, the REO cannot do everything, I cannot personally go and fix a school, if I don’t get the co-operation then it hampers my work as a REO, we in Region Two are not short of resources to do any remedial works at schools or at any public buildings, what we need is the staff to visit and make proper representation and then report to me this is what is lacking, co-operation” Hopkinson said.

The REO is of the views that the recent protest was planned and aimed at embarrassing him and questioned that if the RDC wanted to protest his leadership then they could have done it while President David Granger was in the Region on Monday. He said councillors could have met the President and aired their views since he was in the region.
APNU opted out protest

During the recent protest, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) councillors opted to abstain, explaining that they feel that once there is co-operation between the government and opposition side beautiful things can happen in Region Two. The Government Councillor who represents APNU on the house, Julian Cummings, said he opted to abstain from the protest because he feels that the council can work together despite differences. Julian did not attend the council meeting because of health reasons but explained if he had, he would have not joined the protest.

On Tuesday eight opposition councillors and two Alliance for Change councillors hosted a peaceful protest in front the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) building echoing calls for the REO to resign. The protest stemmed from Hopkinson not attending the monthly statutory meeting. The councillors, during the protest, said that: “Meeting after meeting there are key issues raised [and] no meaningful follow ups are done by the REO to fix the issues, the problems keep recurring and if he keeps absenting then the problems and issues the region face will continue to reoccur” the head of the RDC, Devanand Ramdatt had said.