–cautions against Blair serving as Deputy Mayor, RDC councillor

LINDEN’S Town Clerk, Lennox Gasper, has cautioned against Deputy Mayor Dominique Blair simultaneously serving on both the Linden Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) and the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC), warning that such dual roles threaten good governance and risk conflicts of interest.
In a statement in response to a Kaieteur News report which cited former Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul as saying there is no legal conflict in Blair holding both offices, Gasper said although the law may not expressly forbid dual membership, the combined provisions of Guyana’s local government legislation implicitly reject it.
Gasper stated that the country’s local democratic system is structured across five tiers of governance: Regional Democratic Councils, Municipal Councils, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, Village Councils and Community Development Councils, each with its own responsibilities.

“Mr Blair does not serve on an NDC, as was repeatedly referenced, but as Deputy Mayor of Linden’s M&TC, which carries significantly greater responsibilities than an NDC,” Gasper clarified.
With this, he cited the Municipal and District Councils Act and stressed that the Deputy Mayor is the automatic successor should the mayor resign before the end of the term.
With Mayor Sharma Solomon poised to take up a parliamentary seat, Gasper warned that Blair could soon be required to assume the mayoralty.
“At the same time, as an RDC councillor, Mr Blair could potentially be elected Chairman or Vice Chairman, positions that also require significant dedication and may conflict with municipal priorities,” the Town Clerk added.

He said: “Even as an ordinary RDC councillor, he would be subject to RDC policies that may contradict those of the M&TC, creating an unavoidable conflict of interest.”
Against this backdrop, Gasper argued that the Local Democratic Organs Act, the Local Authorities (Elections) Act and the Municipal and District Councils Act collectively prohibit an individual from serving simultaneously in both an RDC and a municipal council within the same region.

“Serving as Mayor or Deputy Mayor requires full and undivided focus on the affairs of the municipality. Serving as an RDC councillor carries its own significant responsibilities in regional representation and development. Holding both roles simultaneously risks divided priorities, diluted accountability and conflicts of interest,” Gasper said.
Meanwhile, he went on to add, “Good governance demands clarity, accountability, and undivided service. The people of Linden deserve leaders who are fully committed to their respective mandates, without divided loyalties or overlapping responsibilities.”