PPP/C wins Reg 4 Chair for 1st time since RDC’s establishment in 1980

– Reg 10 selection ends in deadlock; Local Govt Minister to cast deciding vote
– Pres Ali urges mutual respect among elected officials regardless of political affiliation

As regional councillors were sworn in across the country on Friday, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) made history by securing the Region Four Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship (VC) for the first time since the establishment of the RDC in 1980.
PPP/C’s Clemsford Belgrave was elected as Regional Chairman, while Deoraj Nauth was elected Vice Chairman of Region Four.
Region Four, Guyana’s economic hub, encompassing the capital city, Georgetown, as well as major communities along the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara, now comprises 17 councillors from the PPP/C, nine from APNU, eight from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), and one from Forward Guyana (FGM).
However, the PPP/C won the chairmanship in eight out of the ten Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) across Guyana, taking wins in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Eight, and Nine.

However, the Region 10 Chairmanship ended in a deadlock between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Dominque Blair and Mark Goring from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), both of whom received nine votes.
In the case of the deadlock, Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand will now be responsible for casting the deciding vote.
In Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), PPP/C’s Vania Elenie Albert was elected as the Chairperson and Daniel Aguilar as her deputy. The council has 15 seats, of which the PPP/C has 10 and WIN has five.
In Region Eight, despite the PPP/C and WIN being locked in with seven seats each on the 15-seat council, the PPP/C still managed to clinch the chairmanship position with eight votes, while APNU took the VC position unanimously.
This appeared to be due to the lone APNU councillor voting for the PPP/C chairperson pick, while the PPP/C gave their nod to the sole APNU councillor for the VC position.
PPP/C’s Tercellia John and APNU’s Samantha John were elected to the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson positions, respectively, marking the first time that women were elected to both positions at the same time. The Region Eight voting was also done by secret ballot.
However, it was PPP councillors who nominated and seconded APNU’s Samantha for the VC position, which she won unopposed. In the election for the Chairmanship, Tercellia prevailed over WIN’s Marcel Ann Thomas.
In Region Seven, WIN candidates June Shurland Gittings and Alden Marslowe were elected as the Chair and VC. WIN has 8 seats on the 15-seat council. The PPP/C has five, while the APNU and Alliance for Change have one each.
PPP/C’s Bretnol Ashley returned as Chairman for Region One (Barima-Waini), while Paul Pierre, also from the PPP/C, was also elected unopposed as the Regional Vice Chairman.
In Region Three, where the PPP/C has 18 of the council’s 27 seats, the PPP/C’s Inshan Ayube was returned unopposed as chairman, with Anjanie Narine as his deputy. She also returned unopposed.
In light of the concluded regional elections, President Dr Irfaan Ali extended warm congratulations and sincere gratitude to all our party’s regional chairpersons and vice-chairpersons on the completion of their tenure.
“Your service stands as a proud example of our party’s commitment to the people of Guyana. Through your leadership, the plans and programmes of our Government were faithfully translated into tangible outcomes that improved the quality of life across your regions. The visible progress achieved under your stewardship reflects our party’s dedication to people-centred development and to the ideals for which we stand,” the President stated.
The Head of State Further stated that the emphatic victory secured by the PPP/C at the recent elections is due, in no small measure, to their dedication and hard work
“Your efforts, leadership, and presence among the people strengthened their faith in our vision and their confidence in our capacity to deliver.”
He assured them that their contributions to the Regional Democratic Councils and to the Party are deeply valued while adding that he looks forward to their continued involvement in advancing Guyana’s development.
Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali extended heartfelt congratulations to all those who have been elected to serve as regional chairmen, Vice Chairpersons, and councillors across the ten administrative regions.
“As you take up your respective offices, I urge you to remain mindful that public office is not a prize to be enjoyed but a trust to be honoured,” he related in a statement on Friday.
He noted, however, that the RDCs are an important tier of our system of governance, and more so are the instruments through which development is planned and implemented at the regional level, ensuring that national priorities are translated into tangible benefits for our citizens.
“For this reason, it is essential that there be a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect among all members of the council, regardless of party affiliation. Healthy debate is natural and welcome, but it must always be guided by a shared commitment to the people’s welfare and to the advancement of the region as a whole.”
He noted that the fact that the recently held elections were conducted within an adversarial political system does not diminish the need for collaboration across political divides.
“It is time now for all to set aside partisan divisions and work together, not only among themselves but also in partnership with central Government.
Development requires collective effort. Progress in health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, and local enterprise can only be achieved when we recognise that we are all working toward the same goal: a better quality of life for the people we serve.”
He, nonetheless, reminded us that leadership is not about power or prestige but about service and sacrifice. “Those who are chosen to lead are, at their core, servants of the people. And it is through humility, empathy, and integrity that true leadership is defined.”