Appalled at the functioning of Maida/Tarlogie NDC

Dear Editor,
We are appalled and baffled at the manner in which the business of the Maida/Tarlogie Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is being conducted at this time and which is destroying development of the NDC.
Since April of this year, the NDC’s Chairman has been absent from the statutory meeting along with the Vice Chairman who has been absent since June. This is compounded by the fact that many of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillors are also absent which makes it difficult to establish a quorum to conduct the business of the NDC. This has led to only informal discussions taking place. This is a mystery since from our understanding, caucuses are normally held before the NDC statutory. Therefore, it begs the question: Why is this type of purposefully effected negligent behaviour being allowed in an NDC controlled by the PPP? Has the PPP lost control over this NDC? Why is it that these officials are not replaced so that the work of the NDC can go on?
We have also read with interest the fact that NDCs are complaining about the lack of consultation in the preparation of the Regional Estimates 2017. Our NDC was also not consulted since most of the officials are always absent but I do feel that consultation should have been done with the interested Councillors and the Overseer. There are three projects which we have been begging to be done for years but yet they are not in the 2017 RDC Budget Proposal. One is a street at Cromarty, next to a school which will not only benefit residents but will grant access to the cemetery which is heavily forested; the next is the excavation of a drainage canal; and the other is a bridge at Corn Reef Cross between Tarlogie and Wellington Park. Why was no consultation done at our NDC?
The consequence is that the lack of consultation has allowed corruption to take effect. For instance, when we checked the Regional Estimate, we found that Item 19 – rehabilitation of the heavy-duty bridge at Wellington Park is estimated at million. This bridge only needs a little extension since it is a new bridge and all it needs is a tube, dirt filling and some concrete work which should not cost more than million. We are calling on the Regional Chairman, the Communities Minister and the Public Infrastructure Minister to investigate this inflated cost.
What is more disturbing is that the Regional Vice Chairman seemed to have taken control over the NDC as its Chairman. He is using the NDC’s tractor to transport diesel to various areas of the region whereas it could have been used to benefit the NDC and its residents. But this is not allowed to happen since the Regional Vice Chairman is also suffocating and obstructing the work of the NDC by not allowing the Chairman of the Works Committee to function. We also feel that all NDCs should be subjected to an audit since many Councillors cannot fully understand what is going on and are easily hoodwinked by those who are more literate and conversant with the workings of the NDC.

Yours Sincerely,
Esar Chickrie (former Chairman of the NDC/Councillor)
Walter Bagot (NDC Councillor)
R Matadial
(former Chairman of the NDC)
Gobin Persaud, resident