Main opposition APNU on Thursday threw its support behind Kwakwani residents who have elected their own community council, after refusing to recognise the authority of a government-installed Interim Management Committee (IMC).
“APNU places on record that it is in solidarity with and support of the residents of Kwakwani who have decided that they have had enough of the undemocratic actions of the out-of-control Ministry of Local Government and are unprepared to accept the imposition of an IMC that was foisted on their community and which arrived like a thief in the night,” APNU MP Ronald Bulkan told a press conference on Thursday.
Accompanying Bulkan were the Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette and Region Eight Chairman Mark Crawford.
In a statement read at the press conference, APNU reiterated its condemnation of the government’s dismantling of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and replacing them with IMCs as a means of wresting local control due to the loss of its parliamentary majority in last November’s general elections. “It is clear to APNU that the minority PPP government intends to make local government a casualty of their loss of Parliament and would go to any length in pursuit of this perverse agenda. Their clear objective is to exercise control over local authorities in defiance of the popular will,” APNU added.
The party is lending support for the Kwakwani Citizens Committee at a time when government maintains that it does not recognise that body and is contemplating legal action.
Reiterating its condemnation of government’s decision to in July revoke a 1983 Order that had allowed Regional Democratic Councils to oversee NDCs, APNU demanded that the “usurping” and “bypassing” of powers cease. “We are forced to ask what other illegalities and vulgarity this government contemplating to exacerbate the crisis and chaos now enveloping local government?” it asked.
“We call once more for an end to these unhelpful and provocative actions and for the government to meaningfully engage the parliamentary opposition and duly-elected local government organs to allow for citizens to participate in local government.“
They appealed to government to engage the parliamentary opposition and duly-elected local government organs to allow for citizens to participate in local government matters the party since the party said that it was only through cooperation that set objectives for the development of the regions could be met.
Meanwhile, Crawford used the briefing to expound on what he called continued victimisation by Region Eight’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ronald Harsawack. He had told this newspaper that Harsawack paid him scant regard in management of development plans for the region. He had written to Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud on the issue and he said that while he could not “make the duo friends,” they must work together and form a partnership for the betterment of the community.
In July, a no-confidence motion was brought by APNU and passed by a majority of the members of the RDC against Harsawack. Eight of the 15 members of the RDC backed the motion, which was based on a series of complaints against the REO. The reason, they said, was the failure of the REO to cooperate with the council.
Crawford said that after the motion he wrote to Persaud but got no results and instead the minister criticised him. Persaud had gone on record as saying that the RDC has no jurisdiction over appointed officials.
“If you ask him to send the excavator there is a problem. To clean up the garbage is a problem. Everything is a problem… we feel that he is only there to frustrate us,” Crawford said.
He added that as Chairman he is blatantly sidelined when the REO plans any function for the community. Bukan said evidence of Crawford’s victimisation was the non-invites to Guyana’s independence anniversary celebration and the recent Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations, among others.
He criticised government for allowing the Mahdia Road to end up in its current deplorable state, while noting that not only him but citizens have to endure an over two hours-long agonizing journey on the road. With repairs, he said that same journey would take an estimated 30 minutes.
“The people of Region Eight must not be made to suffer because they voted a particular way, whether the government controls the region or an opposition party, the residents of Region Eight are as much Guyanese as the residents of Region Five or Six and the government-appointed REO must not be encouraged and allowed to penalise the residents of Region Eight,” Crawford said.
