APNU/AFC Councillor blamed for lack of progress in Enmore-Hope community

…”We have no power to do anything” – PPP Councillors

Rembers of the Enmore-Hope Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) voiced their frustration at what they say is the lack of constructive discussions at meetings, reportedly due to the constant disruption by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) elected Councillor Deochand Singh.

According to the Vice Chairman of the Enmore-Hope NDC, Mark Mahase, since the formation of the Council, meetings have continuously been interrupted by Singh, who he said is one of the two APNU/AFC Councillors within the group of 18 Councillors.

“Our main concern is that in recent times, since the Council form, most of the meetings them tend to break up by APNU/AFC Councillor Deochand Singh, and as such, the Councillor[s] hardly get to do the planning they want to do and execute their duty that they want to execute and that is hindering the development of the community,” Mahase related.

Additionally, the Councillors highlighted that though the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02 states that “The local authority of a village or country district may, subject to the approval of the Minister, appoint fit and proper persons to be Overseer, Assistant Overseer, Clerk or other officers of the local authority, and the local authority may employ such servants as may be necessary for the efficient execution of the powers, duties and functions of the local authority under this Act,” they are rendered powerless, since the Regional Democratic Officer (REO) refuses to accept changes they have made towards the benefit of the village.

Elaborating on the situation, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Mohamed Ikbal Dawud, highlighted that the Councillors came to a unanimous decision to have the NDC’s previous tractor operator replaced by a new operator.

“We had a problem with the tractors, whereby they needed tyres. After writing to the region, tyres were sent a couple weeks later, brand new tyres. When the tractors go the first day to the dumpsite, two of the new tyres puncture. We get it replaced, the next day, it went to the dump site and it had another mechanical problem. We get it fixed. The third day again he go, problem again. We investigate him and find that he sabotaging the tractor. We issue him three letters… We had grounds to fire him,” Dawud said.

He continued, “the Chapter state the Chairman have all right to fire and hire a new operator and then inform the region cause right now there is no development in this community. Ninety per cent of garbage is all over the place. The old operator is not doing his job. We find out he taking payment from residents in the area to do their personal work and stop clean up the garbage and do what he supposed to. He wasn’t doing his job so we had to fire him and hire a new operator.”

However, the Councillors noted that this action was not seen fit by the REO, who they said, threatened to have the Enmore-Hope overseer transferred to Buxton; another community on the East Coast of Demerara.

“The region is not supporting us. We have no power to do anything, it seem like. They ain’t giving we no response on what to do with the APNU/AFC Councillor. They are not informing us about anything. They even want to send a new Overseer without ever telling us and that’s how we gotta work,” Dawud pointed out.

According to Dawud, the REO’s behaviour was “unacceptable.” He expressed hope that Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan will look into the matter.

Efforts to solicit a response from the Minister proved futile.