Fourteen women were on Tuesday given the oath of office to serve as Chairpersons and Vice Chair for Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Of the 14, five will be serve NDC Chairpersons.
Region Six has 18 NDCs and prior to the recently held Local Government Elections, the 51-Goodhope, Maida-Tarlogie, Canefield-Enterprise, Hogstye-Lancaster and Plegt Anker-Kortberaadt NDCs were all headed by women.
Hogstye-Lancaster and Maida-Tarlogie NDCs will continue to be headed by women. Additionally, Kintyre-Borlam, Kilcoy-Chesney and Whim-Bloomfield NDCs will have women at the helm.
The 18 vice chair persons share a photo with Regional Chairman David Armogan and Regional Executive Officer Navindra Persaud
In fact, Macedonia-Joppa, Maida-Tarlogie and Kintyre-Borlam now have both the Chair and the Vice-Chair being females.
Enfield/New Doe Park, Wyburg-Caracus, Canefield/Enterprise, John’s-Port Mourant, Bushlot-Adventure and Crabwood Creek-Moleson Creek NDCs now have female Vice-Chairpersons.
Those women Chairing NDCs are; Geeta Samaroo Ramsingh, Kintyre/Borlam NDC, Sheron Smith, Hogstye-Lancaster NDC, Lounita Devi Sanichar, Black Bush Polder NDC, Senel Drepaul, Macedonia-Joppa NDC and Lillawattie Dean, Maida-Tarlogie NDC.
The 18 NDC chairpersons pose with Regional Chairman David Armogan and Regional Executive Officer Navindra Persaud
Speaking with this publication Regional Chairman David Armogan said the NDC heads and their deputies have been given a clear mandate.
“We said very clearly to them that they should be prepared to work in the various communities in which they were elected. They have to be able to be servants of the people; in a lot of cases some people once they are elected they automatically become masters. We are going to ensure that all of those persons who are elected will continue to serve the people in their respective areas,” the regional Chairman said.
Armogan said the NDC official have been advised to visit all areas of their NDC and hold regular community meetings ensuring that they understand the nature and intensity of issues which may be affecting residents.
“In many cases what we have found when we are doing the budget, is that the Chair and Vice Chair they identify roads and other projects by themselves without consultation with the community and when we go threesome of the roads that we put into the budget were in a better state that some of the other bad roads in the community,” Armogan pointed out.
He said the Regional Democratic Council has an obligation to work in every community in the region and on Tuesday made that pledge to the new NDC leaders.
The Chairman told this publication that whenever necessary the regional administration will provide needed assistance and it they cannot they will seek the intervention of the relevant ministry.
“We may not be able to do everything at the same time but incrementally we would be able to solve some of the major problems that people are experiencing with regards to street lights, garbage collection, and drainage problems… Basic problems that poor and ordinary people have and want to be sorted out. We are prepared to work with everyone. It does not matter which political party you belong to, it does not matter what your political persuasion is we are working as One Guyana,” Armogan assured. (G4)
