Region 1 Chairman to move No-confidence motion against REO

By Kizzy Coleman

Region One (Barima-Waini) Chairman Brentol Ashley has announced that he will be moving a no-confidence

motion against the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Leslie Wilburg, as disputes between the REO and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) spirals.

Speaking at a press conference at Freedom House on Saturday, Ashley said the REO has refused to follow the mandates given to him and is moving beyond his legal authority.

At a recent RDC statutory meeting a number of issues were raised by the various standing committees that were to be addressed by the council.

According to the chairman, as a result of the questions being posed by the RDC councillors regarding the non-implementation of works programme in the region, Wilburg became defensive, causing the meeting to be adjourned.

“He and his officers became defensive for their inaction and their slowness in implementing works for the region. And also they were very reluctant to give clarity to questions when it comes to the usage of finances in the RDC,” Ashley said.

According to the chairman, the REO has made it clear to Council that he and his officers do not have to carry out instructions given by the RDC, which is contrary to the Constitution in Article 28:01.

“The REO on Thursday last in his capacity of cooperate council would have clearly shown great disrespect for the authority of the RDC and also disrespect for the office of the Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman and would have also made it very clear that he and his officers do not have to carry out any instruction given by the RDC because they are not mandated to do so. The constitution in article 28:01 as well as the Manual of Guides to be followed by the regional chairs, vice chairs and councillors indicates differently from what he would’ve said.”

The chairman went on: “The committee reports that were being discussed at the time of the abrupt adjournment of the RDC meeting was finance and it came out of one councillor from the APNU/AFC Coalition, questioning the Clerk of Councils/REO to give clarity as to why close to $800,000 was spent without permission,” Ashley added.

Additional complaints voiced by the Regional Chairman divulged that himself along with the Vice Chairman have been without vehicles for a considerable period as the money to acquire this cannot accounted for by the REO.

“When questioned on this, the REO puts himself in defence as to why he was spending the money, making it clear to Council that as the Accounting Officer of the region he can spend money because he is the one that approves it. This is contrary to what is actually the case, the money that is given by Central Government is not given to the REO, it is given to the RDC and is implemented by the REO and the other staff with the guidance by the RDC.”

The Chairman is calling for the ‘disrespect and undermining’ by the REO to cease as the decision have been made to file for a no-confidence motion if the matter continues.

“We at the level of the RDC will not be subjected to disrespect or undermining of the authority of such an elected body and more so will not give way to anyone being insubordinate and not carrying out the function that they are appointed to do”.

The RDC councillors are calling for the REO to become acquainted with the rules and responsibilities to be carried out and to act within the confines of what the constitution prescribes.

They are also calling for the council to be able to carry out its mandate as they are the representatives of the people of the region.

“Allow us, the council to carry out its mandates because the council is there to represent the people of region irrespective of their political affiliation, their religion or their ethnicity, and we will continue to do so. So we will not give up the struggle for the people of Region One because we firmly believe that the people of Region One deserves better, they must have better; and those that are entrusted with the responsibility to do so, to carry it out in a very sober and very professional manner.”