Response to Hopkinson’s allegations of misuse of vehicle

Dear Editor,
The Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Two, Rupert Hopkinson, has been continuously and publicly demonstrating that he lacks clear knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the duties, responsibilities and expectations attached to his office; a public office.
In his recent attempt to mislead the public regarding misuse of the vehicle assigned to me, he has displayed an inadequacy of knowledge of the legislation, regulations, policies and practices attached to the functions of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and its Clerk, the Regional Executive Officer.
The Regional Chairman is an elected official, accountable to all of the people in the administrative region to which he has been elected and for which he has responsibility (ii) the Regional Chairman is on call/on duty 24 hours a day. Consequentially, it is imperative that the Regional Chairman is able to access communication and transportation 24hrs per day.
It is not for the REO to determine when, where and how the Regional Chairman must use the vehicle assigned to him. Albeit the REO may draw to the Regional Chairman/RDC’s attention abuse of the vehicle or other Fixed Assets assigned to the Office of the Regional Chairman.
If the REO had wanted to use the vehicle assigned to me for ministerial or other outreaches, a simple telephone contact could have been made as was previously done.
In fact, REO Hopkinson ought to recall that I willingly allowed the use of the vehicle during outreaches by President DavidGranger and our First Lady on separate occasions.
Any abuse of the RDC’s vehicles is done openly by the REO himself, since as an Accounting Officer, he does not maintain a log book for the vehicle assigned to him. Indeed, if a verification of vehicle log books – such an important record – is done, it will show that his trip to the rum shop where he had a brawl with a leading PNC activists was not recorded.
My advice to the Clerk of the RDC of Region Two is that he stops using his bullyism tactics in a region that is known for peace and continued progress. Delaying, and at times refusing to sign requests for fuel by the Clerk of RDC for the vehicles of the Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chair, is purely a reflection of his actions to undermine their work.
The REO must stop blaming others for his obvious shortcomings and develop a democratic approach; teamwork is what is required. The Regional Chairman as head of the RDC remains committed to working with REO Hopkinson as Clerk of RDC in the interest of development for all our people.

Respectfully,
Devanand Ramdatt
Regional Chairman
Region Two