Councillors, businesses accuse Region 8 admin of discrimination

A People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor of Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and other party supporters who operate businesses in the mining town of Mahdia are accusing the regional administration of victimisation and discrimination against them owing to their party affiliation.

Other party supporters are accusing the regional authorities of taking away their contracts and giving same to A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) supporters. This, they say, is unfair as everyone irrespective of which party they support should be allowed to earn their daily bread.
PPP/C supporter Davo Ramphal, who reached out to Guyana Times, on Wednesday explained that he was awarded the garbage disposal contract for the region; however, without reason, the contract was taken away from him and given to a known AFC supporter, who is unequipped to execute the job.
“I was providing this service to the region all the time and there were never any issues. Just like that, they took the contract and give it to their supporter that didn’t even have the tools to do the job. Then after things got messy, they had to give it back to my company. They are just giving these contracts to party comrades who do not even own a spade or a shovel or even has an address. They are giving contracts to their friends without even going through the tender process,” he said.
The businessman added that in some cases regional officials were deliberately stifling PPP/C supporters.
Ramphal explained that during the independence celebrations in the mining town last month, when Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence attended a flag-raising ceremony, she visited the hospital where the garbage was piled up as the newly contracted service provider was doing a poor job.
The authorities then requested his company do the disposal of garbage for that day after which they awarded him the contract again and it was this that angered the AFC supporter. “They behave as if only they are entitled … Once you’re a PPP in this region you should not be allowed to make a living,” a businessman said.
He noted that in one case, an AFC Councillor (name withheld) was heard in a recording threatening to pull support if any PPP/C supporters were awarded any contracts or benefited in any way from the region.
Other business owners also expressed their dissatisfaction with treatment they have been receiving from officials in the region who continue to encourage supporters to boycott “PPP” businesses.
Another businessman told Guyana Times on Wednesday that his sales have declined significantly and he was struggling to make ends meet. He blamed the regional authorities for inciting division and discrimination within that region.
“All the years we have been living and doing business here, and we have never encountered problems like this. Everyone lived well and supported each other no matter which party they support but now it’s a big race (ethnic) thing. It’s as if once you aren’t a supporter of APNU/AFC, you don’t belong. Imagine you have their councillors telling people where to shop and where to dine. It’s almost unbelievable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ramphal also disclosed that last week, the region dismissed the Manager of the Mahdia Power and Light Company and hired another AFC supporter who has no experience in that field.
“This is another instance of these people doing their own thing. They don’t have a transparent process or consultation or anything like that, it’s once you’re APNU or AFC, you’re qualified,” he said.