Region 6 RDC councillors wrangle over proposal to scrap “urgent public interest” agenda item

A proposal to revise the agenda of the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) escalated into a heated confrontation on Thursday, as Councillors sharply disagreed over whether the long-standing item “Matters of Urgent Public Interest” should be removed. The fiery debate unfolded during the first statutory meeting since the newly constituted RDC was sworn in and quickly exposed deep divisions over how Councillors use and, in some cases, misuse the agenda item, which has for years been criticised for facilitating political speeches and non-urgent interventions. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Sean Smith, who moved the proposal, argued that the item has become a tool used by some Councillors to bypass the RDC’s subcommittees, where technical work is intended to take place.
According to Smith, several Councillors fail to attend multiple committee meetings, then rely on the “Urgent Public Interest” slot at statutory sittings to introduce issues that should properly be handled at committee level. “This particular item allows complete absenteeism,” Smith said, adding that Councillors routinely miss meetings at the sub-committee level and then attend that RDC where they raise matters under the urgent-interest section. However, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor Colin Moore argued that that removing the item would not prevent Councillors from speaking at meetings, since issues could still be raised under it. However, Smith said the intention was to encourage full participatory democracy through the committee system, which prepares reports for the full Council’s consideration.

Moore strongly objected, warning that removing the item would effectively silence Councillors who need to address serious developments occurring between meetings.
“A matter can happen today; urgent, and I must be able to speak on that matter,” Moore told the Council. He argued that the proposal would take away a long-recognised right of Councillors to raise pressing issues on behalf of residents.
Moore also questioned the legality of bringing the motion without prior notice, saying he had not been informed that the issue would be debated at Thursday’s sitting.
“This is not a situation where we can simply wake up one morning and vote on it. There is nothing in the law that says a Councillor must be part of a committee to speak,” Moore reminded the RDC. He insisted that Councillors remain independent and should not be required to participate in specific committees in order to raise matters of public concern. Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Junior Bassant intervened several times to maintain order as the exchange intensified. He acknowledged that the item had been used inappropriately over the years, often for political statements, but emphasised that the RDC itself is responsible for structuring and modifying its agenda. “To the best of my knowledge, there is no single piece of universal legislation governing this item. This agenda was created by this RDC, and it can be corrected, fashioned and reshaped by this RDC,” Bassant said. He ruled that the proposal would not be put to a vote during January’s meeting. Instead, he directed that it be formally included on the agenda for the next statutory meeting, where it will be fully debated before any vote is taken.

The agenda item “Matters of Urgent Public Interest” has for years been a point of contention within the RDC. Councillors and administrative staff have acknowledged that while the item allows for rapid intervention on serious issues, it has also been misused to raise matters that are neither urgent nor directly related to governance.
In some instances, Councillors have used the item to promote activities connected to political parties or to deliver speeches unrelated to immediate public welfare. Critics say this undermines the RDC’s committee system and creates opportunities for grandstanding. The RDC will revisit the matter at its next statutory meeting, where Councillors from both sides have indicated they intend to present formal arguments. The outcome of that vote is expected to influence how the Council manages debates, committee participation, and the wider flow of business during its term.