A motion was on Tuesday moved at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) for the statutory meeting to be adjourned until April 20 for the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson to attend.
The motion came about after it was observed by Councillors that the REO, who is the clerk of the RDC, was often absent.
The motion was moved after a vote was done and a majority of Councillors from both the Opposition and the Government agreed. However, one Government Councillor, Dacia Jones abstained from voting.
REO Rupert Hopkinson
Before the motion was moved, Councillors who head standing committees within the RDC vented their frustrations over the non-attendance of the clerk. Head of the Local Government Committee and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor, Showkat Ali, said that often issues were raised from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) levels but when brought to the RDC no meaningful follow-ups were done. He cited the absence of the REO as the main reason for this state of affairs, which is hindering progress in the Region.
Head of the Health and Sanitation Committee, Arnold Adams said the situation within the Region was becoming worse and although numerous reports were made to the REO, those reports were yet to bear fruit. Adams said that there were burning issues at both the Charity and Suddie Hospitals and to date, these issues were not resolved, thus the people of the Region were being short-changed.
According to Adams, he requested that an ambulance be transferred to Charity Hospital, for a generator to be fixed at Suddie Hospital and for other matters to be addressed and to his dismay, nothing has been done.
“If we don’t have an active clerk, one that does meaningful follow-up and is always active on development issues, then we are heading nowhere. This meeting is once a month, it’s statutory; the REO is an important person for this meeting and he is absenting. Where are we heading???” Adams questioned.
Head of the Works Committee and Regional Vice Chairperson Nandranie Coonjah said every month councillors were raising issues at the statutory meeting and no results were following. She pointed out that currently there was a lack of fuel at the pumps and the regional store lacked essential materials. According to her, when she followed up on the issues, she was being told that those requests were on the REO’s desk waiting for his signature.
RDC Chairman Devanand Ramdatt said for the year 2017, the REO has been absent numerous times and often times no excuses were offered to the RDC. He said there were many developmental issues that needed to be resolved within the Region and with the REO being absent, there was no way forward.
“We need a more participatory approach from him. There are a lot of issues of development that are raised; since last year some matters have not resolved. As the head of the RDC, I will not tolerate such lazy leadership,” Ramdatt said.
He, however, said the slothfulness of the REO was no secret to Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan. Ramdatt said since February 1, the REO was written to concerning the upgrading and maintenance of farmers’ access roads and dams, but to date no positive response was given, so rice farmers were suffering.
Ramdatt said as head of the RDC, he would continue to pursue key development issues and would not allow the people of the Region to suffer.
After the meeting was adjourned to a later date, Councillors raised issues and they were recorded for future reference.
Losing confidence
Only recently at March’s statutory meeting, Councillors vented their concerns.
“Meeting are meetings; we raising issues, no meaningful follow-up are made, it’s like rubber stamp. The REO so slow, he is not around and no follow-up made. Are we wasting our time as Councillors???? Who are here to listen to us? Every RDC new clerks are placed to represent, we are getting nowhere and people are suffering,” Government Councillor Naitram said.
Naitram called for the REO to be more pro-active and to conduct follow-ups from the RDC minutes. (Indrawattie Natram)
