Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica) Chairman Vickchand Ramphal is blaming disruptions of the Regional
Councillors disallowing the Regional Chairman from speaking earlier this year
Democratic Council (RDC) meetings by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regional Councillors for hindering the ability of the region’s administration to provide services for flood-affected residents and farmers as the months long flood situation persists in the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas.
He made these comments while on a visit to Big Baiboo, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday.
Ramphal stressed that since he is being prevented from presiding over statutory meetings, the RDC cannot make decisions to alleviate the many problems facing the region, including the stalled work programmes and the extended period of flooding.
“At the regional level, we are having a lot of difficulty; the meetings (are) being broken up by the APNU/AFC Councillors, preventing me from having our statutory meeting. At that meeting is where we make decisions for our people in Region Five, fix all the problems that are happening in the region… if they continue to break up these meetings then we will not be able to deliver the services to the people that the Regional Democratic Council offers,” the Chairman expressed.
Ramphal however related that his party is currently employing efforts to ensure that requisite services are rendered to those affected.
“We are trying our best to have this situation changed, we are working, we are making representations at all levels so that you the people can receive the services that you deserve,” the Region Five Chairman assured.
For the last six months, the RDC has been unable to hold its monthly statutory meetings because the coalition Councillors are demanding an apology from the Chairman, premised on claims that Ramphal disrespected President David Granger for failing to show up for an event on January 15, where the President commissioned two buses under his ‘Three Bs’ initiative.
However, Ramphal is arguing that he was never invited to the event, and as such, there was no need to apologise.
At the most recent meeting last week, when Ramphal attempted to speak, his voice was buried by the APNU/AFC Councillors, when they continuously hit the tables and engaged in periods of singing. Beneath the choruses, Ramphal observed that Councillor Carol Joseph who led the disruption, was being disrespectful to the entire Council and the region at large. Some of the other Councillors then joined her in banging on the table with identification plates.
Upon the meeting’s adjournment, the Chairman expressed that it was a time for them to work together for the people of the region, but his words were once again covered by the sounds of drumming and singing.
As the standoff between the Councillors on both sides continues, residents in many of the region’s communities, especially those along the Mahaicony River have been battling floods since early April.
Earlier this week, over 200 angry residents from Region Five took the streets in Number 30 village to protest Government’s inaction in alleviating the flood crisis. This compelled both Government and the Opposition to meet with residents and listen to their concerns.
