Region 4 councillors’ appointments voided after RDC violated protocols

The appointment of Councillors for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) has been voided after the regional administration facilitated such without approval from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
Headed by Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram, the regional office proceeded to elect these officials, failing to seek permission from subject Minister Nigel Dharamlall in the process.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Thursday, Dharamlall indicated that all other regions had followed protocols, and those appointments are upheld and unaffected.
Section 42 of the Local Government Act states, “The local authority of a village or country district may, subject to the approval of the Minister, appoint fit and proper persons to be overseer clerk, or other officers of the local authority, and the local authority may employ such servants as may be necessary for the execution of powers, duties and functions of the local authority under this Act.”
Last September, the Chair and Vice Chair of nine Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) were elected. In Region Four, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Captain and APNU/AFC candidate Daniel Seeram was elected to the office of Chairman, while his colleague Samuel Sandy was named Deputy. Seeram, one of the fresh faces on the APNU/AFC list, replaced Genevieve Allen as Chair.
Since then, appointments have also followed at the lower level for Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and other persons within the local organs.
Just Wednesday, chairpersons of the eighteen Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) took the oath of office to serve.

Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan, implored the community leaders to serve in a way that would benefit residents in their respective NDCs. Armogan has stated that the work of an NDC Chair has very little appreciation but a lot of criticisms.
Moving forward, officers will also be checking to see what has been done to solve the issues recorded in the complaints book.
“The President directed that we form what is called a quick response committee to deal with people’s matters. All of those little matters we can’t deal with at our level, otherwise we will be overwhelmed, only dealing with issues and problems, and we will not be looking at developmental issues within our Region. You have your work cut out. That is your work. I don’t want people to be running at my office complaining about the NDC not doing things…” (G12)