–REO walks out after feeling ‘threatened’ by ‘shouting Regional Chairman’

A MEETING of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) was suspended after the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Donald Gajraj, walked out after feeling ‘threatened’ by the actions of Regional Chairman, Daniel Seeram.

The reported actions of Seeram were supplemented by the presence of his colleagues from the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). Those persons were, however, not the duly elected councillors who are a party to those meetings, but rather Opposition Parliamentarians, who were there, reportedly, without prior notice or reason.

According to a News Room report, four Opposition Members of Parliament turned up at the meeting without the knowledge of the REO.

This reportedly added to the tension which already exists among the Coalition councillors, who are at odds over the leadership of the RDC.

AFC councillors had expressed no confidence in their APNU counterparts who hold the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the RDC of Region Four.

The AFC had confirmed that on August 18, its Region Four councillors laid formal notices indicating that they have ‘no confidence’ in Seeram and Sandy. The motion moved by Councillor Amarnauth Chinkan and seconded by Councillor Deodat Tillack was submitted to Gajraj.

The Coalition member said that this move was in direct response to the continued “failures and shortcomings” in the management of the affairs of the people in this key geographical region.

At a statutory meeting in August, the reading of the motion was disallowed on the grounds that the office of the Chairman was not served with a copy of the motion, nor did it conform to the stipulated timeline.

The Chairman again reportedly diverted attention from this and other motions, and rearranged an agenda prepared by Gajraj to allow for discussions on the region’s budget for 2022.

Gajraj, according to the News Room, said the changes were made unilaterally by Seeram and prevented any review of the minutes and discussions on matters arising and motions.

It was reported that Seeram was displeased because the budget was already submitted by the REO for approval by the Central Government.

The News Room reported that Gajraj, who asserts full responsibility for submitting the budget, said he was forced to do so void of the input of the RDC. The budget has since been approved.

It was at this point that Seeram reportedly started shouting at the REO after he informed the meeting that he hadn’t a correspondence to relay.

“In a loud disrespectful way he [Seeram] started shouting… with the invited guests and his attitude, I felt threatened and I decided to leave,” the REO told the News Room.

This aside, although the budget was approved, Gajraj told the News Room that Seeram and the council would still be able to make suggestions for the budget.