Region 4 statutory meeting: PPP/C councillors walk out after Chairman’s “disrespectful behaviour”

A meeting of the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) ended abruptly on Thursday when Regional Executive Officer (REO) Donald Gajraj and several PPP Councillors staged a walkout in response to what they described as “disrespectful behaviour” by APNU Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram.

At a scheduled meeting on Thursday, held at the Community Centre at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Gajraj was in the process of explaining several correspondences that were part of the RDC’s budget for 2022 when Seeram demanded that he “shut up”.

“The meeting was called! The Chairman disrupted the agenda of the meeting, claiming that he only looked at three items on the agenda, and abandoned all the rest of the items. And because of that, (he said) the meeting will only deal with ‘correspondence’, ‘any other business’, and the ‘National Anthem’,” PPP Councillor Raghunanban Singh said in an interview with Guyana Times.
Singh related that while the REO was making his presentation, Seeram demanded that he “shut up”, and further went on to tell him, “I didn’t ask you to speak.” The Regional Councillor said Gajraj then requested permission from Seeram to speak, and it was granted.

He related that Gajraj is currently suffering from an ailment in one of his feet, and as such, continued his presentation while seated. But the Chairman, Singh stated, interrupted him again, this time insisting that he stand and continue.
Singh related that although Gajraj informed the Chairman that he was experiencing some discomfort, the Chairman still demanded that he stand.
In response to the Chairman’s “disrespect”, Singh said, the REO and PPP Councillors walked out of the meeting.
“He doesn’t understand his function. He doesn’t understand his purpose. He cannot lead. He is unable to unify this Council,” expressed Singh as he spoke about Seeram.
According to Singh, he strongly believes that Seeram acted in this manner to “impress” APNU-AFC Parliamentarians Christopher Jones and Ganesh Mahipaul, who were both present at the meeting. For some time now, Seeram and Gajraj have been at odds over the RDC’s 2022 budget.
Coalition partners APNU and AFC have slammed REO Donald Gajraj for trying to impose a last-minute budget on the RDC, but Gajraj has countered by saying that there is proof that Seeram knew two months prior that a budget had to be prepared.
In reports, Seeram explained that a budget can be tabled before the Council only when the Finance Ministry issues a circular outlining the procedures. He said the circular was issued on July 31 but was emailed to him only on September 2, with the deadline for submission being September 6.
Gajraj, however, has been reported as saying that the minutes of an RDC meeting in late July show that Seeram and the Council were aware of the need to prepare a proposed budget.
Seeram is reported as saying that “commandeering” of the 2022 budget will not be tolerated, and has since written to President Irfaan Ali, Finance Minister Ashni Singh, and Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall, asking for an extension of time within which to submit a budget.
The AFC has brought a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Seeram and his deputy, Samuel Sandy. The party has cited continued failures and shortcomings in the management of the RDC.
In the AFC’s statement announcing the NCM, it had pointed out the high-handedness of the APNU Chairman. For instance, one of its concerns was the suspension of the Regional Administration of Committees’ meetings without a word to the party. This, according to the AFC, has resulted in chaos.