REGIONAL Executive Officer (REO) of Region One, Randolph Storm, said the completion of several projects is stalled because staffers are told not to work while some council members refuse to attend statutory meetings.

Storm was, at the time, responding to statements made by the Region’s Regional Chairman, Brentol Ashley, who made several claims at a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) press conference last Friday.

According to reports, Ashley claimed many projects in the region are being stalled and council meetings have not been held since April.

Storm confirmed that meetings have not been held since April but said there is more to the story. He said meetings scheduled after April have been boycotted by some councillors.

“It is true that the council has not met since April. When council meetings were scheduled for June 11- 14, 2019 and boats were sent to Port Kaituma and Moruca for the councillors, they were told not to attend because a no-confidence motion was planned against the REO for failing to convene meetings. At that time, the cost of fuel was very high. Meetings scheduled after then were again boycotted,” Storm explained.

The Barima-Waini Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has 15 councillors and statutory meetings are held bi-monthly (every two months).

Ashley has continuously been at loggerheads with whoever is appointed REO to the region. He had continuous issues with the previous REO, Leslie Wilburg. Storm was appointed REO this year. He said the next council meeting is set for 21-25 October, 2019.
As it pertains to the issues of the execution of projects in the region, Storm explained it is a case where persons are instructed to be uncooperative.

“Projects in the region have not been done as quickly as they should because the staff here was told that there is ‘no government’ and they must not work. Much to the delight of the people who said this, it delayed the speedy conclusion of projects. There was no concern for citizens of the region,” Storm stated.

One particular project highlighted by Ashley was the Mabaruma Solar Farm, which was expected to come on stream August last year. Storm explained that the project is actually being handled by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) and earlier this month a team from the ministry visited the project.

Storm explained that the projected started before he took over as REO, but from what he was told, the facility was damaged and the MoPI was in the process of working it out with the contractor, on who should be responsible for fixing the damage.

“The solar farm was struck by lightning and one of the panels, not the solar panel, the distribution panel was burnt. This is the distribution panel that distributes electricity from there to the power house. An engineer came up here who knows about solar and say what has to happen is that the plant has to be properly earthed or another lightning strike will damage the panel again, even if they replace it,” Storm explained.