Dear Editor,
The Regional Democratic Councils have conducted elections to elect their respective chairmen and vice chairmen. It was of surprise to many that a new Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman emerged for Region One which the People’s Progressive Party won with at least two-thirds of the vote. Many were surprised by this bold move by the PPP. We then learnt that the outgoing PPP Regional Chairman Paul Pierre did not take the change too kindly. Together with some of his party supporters and his wife a protest was mounted. Eyes will be on the PPP to see how they handle this situation.
Anyone who knows the Region will tell you that the new Regional Chairman Mr Bretnol Ashley, although young will undoubtedly be a stronger political leader than Mr Pierre. It cannot be business as usual in Region One; the people have great expectations of Chairman Ashley.
I bring to the attention of the Minister of Communities and Chairman Ashley a matter that no one seems to want to touch. An illegal stall was constructed in the Mabaruma compound two months before the elections which has now graduated to a permanent building and store. Who gave permission to construct this illegal building? This was done right under the nose of the outgoing Regional Chairman since it’s only about 200 feet away from the RDC and he passes there every day to go home. The land on which this stall operates belongs to the Guyana Forestry Commission. Why has this been allowed for so long? Do we have an NDC? No one sees the NDC doing anything.
Minister Bulkan and Chairman Ashley are being called upon to regulate this situation since more unauthorized stalls may very well go up on the region’s land and state land.
Yours faithfully,
Rudolph Joseph