While the leadership of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Nine says the Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker is trying to stymie development, he says the needs of the people are being placed on the backburner as political discord is being sown.
The RDC is calling for investigations to be launched into the actions of Parker, whom it alleges has been reluctant to submit financial records for 2015 and 2016, as requested, and has also refused to approve fuel for the purpose of community outreaches by the Regional Chairman’s office.
Vice-Chairman Karl Singh told Stabroek News that a large part of the issue stems from Parker’s unwillingness to produce the necessary financial reports or offer any updates on the state of the reports when asked.
Singh stated that on two separate occasions Parker was asked to either give an update of what is going on with the state of affairs or produce the desired documents. On the first occasion, which was December 31, 2015, he said, the REO reported that he could not submit the records since several projects were still ongoing. However, at the RDC’s sixth statutory meeting, held on January 29, Singh explained that having been unable to secure a reasonable explanation from Parker for not submitting the reports, he moved made a motion to suspend the meeting until the reports can be presented.
Singh said this reportedly angered the REO, whom he said walked out of the RDC boardroom along with his programme managers in a very “hostile manner” before the Vice-Chairman could have adjourned the meeting. Parker has reportedly stopped attending financial committee meetings and is yet to indicate to the council when the requested reports will be made available.
Additionally, Singh related that after leaving the meeting on that occasion, Parker allegedly cancelled the majority of fuel requests made to transport councilors back to their villages after the meeting.
Singh went on to explain that Parker’s continuous cancellation of fuel requests made by the Chairman’s office is also another problem they face. The Vice-Chairman stated that he was forced on one occasion to use his personal cash to purchase fuel in order to travel to meet with the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock. Furthermore, the situation surrounding fuel being approved is also affecting some Amerindian village councils.
The RDC statement said that on January 27 the Karasabai Village council had spent its own funds with the hope of being reimbursed to purchase fuel for the village vehicle to assist in the transportation of a patient from the community. It went on to explain that Parker had refused to supply the village council with fuel to assist with the transportation of the patient as well as drugs for the Karasabai sub-district.
The Vice-Chairman stated that the REO has since made attempts to justify his actions by making claims that the Regional Chairman’s Office, headed by Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, is using the fuel provision to carry out political work for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). However, Singh refuted the claim before going on to explain that as a result of this reoccurring issue the Regional Chairman’s office has been unable to fulfil the necessary outreaches. This, he said, comes at a time where the Regional Chairman needs to meet with the constituents to discuss the current drought situations in the region. In addition, the RDC highlighted Parker’s existing occupancy of a building that was allegedly renovated for nurses’ hostel annex. However, Singh explained that REO had workers working overtime for a two- week period to complete renovations on the building on the basis of there being an intended visit by Minister of State Joseph Harmon. The RDC, he noted, was told that the building would be used for presidential visits from time to time. However, he said “to everyone’s dismay,” the REO moved in after furnishing the building with five air-conditioned rooms, among other furnishings.
“Our objective is first and foremost the development of the region, but the actions of the REO are attempts to stymie development,” Singh said after which he expressed the need to have an investigation launched to rectify the Parker’s alleged actions.
Non-cooperation
Meanwhile, Parker has since issued a statement refuting the allegations made against him by the Regional Chairman’s Office.
Parker said he and his officers only left the last statutory meeting after a motion was carried to adjourn the meeting until a financial statement for 2015 and budgetary allocations for 2016 were presented to council. This, he said, was after it was explained that the 2016 budget was being currently read in Parliament and the statement for 2015 could not be ready until certain statutory requirements were met. Further, the REO stated that his decision to have fuel rationed to the Chairman’s office was as result of instructions given to his deputy to use government’s fuel to do political work in early December. According to the statement, on that occasion, the regional coordinator of the opposition party had reportedly accompanied the Vice-Chairman.
Meanwhile, Parker suggested that the only reason for the objections to his occupancy of the building referred to in the RDC’s statement was its relative close proximity to the local headquarters of the opposition party, since the building has always been designated as the REO quarters.
“Maybe the Chairman is uncomfortable with that. Suffice to say however that previous REOs used that very building without a fuss from anyone,” he noted.
Parker also raised several concerns about what was described as a “policy of non-cooperation” that has been adopted by the Chairman and his councilors as it related to the current government and the administration. In his complaint, the REO highlighted two occasions where the Regional Chairman was a no-show at regional visits of the First Lady as well as for several other ministerial visits to the region.
“Another example of his non-cooperation is the fact that none of the public officers are members of the intended Regional Response Center despite implications of the current dry spell on their areas of competence,” he further said.
“The Chairman may want to pander to his political ego, but my officers and I are focused and strive always to engage the public as was evident on Friday when we discussed El Nino with residents,” he added, while challenging the Chairman “to come off of his pedestal” and work for the benefit of our people instead of sowing more discord in the villages.
“It must be stated here that the Chairman and his Council could never level accusations of disrespect by me or my officers. I am aware that he has claimed that he is under pressure for being too chummy with me. So I presume that he has now taken a party line. But while that is being done the people, whom I have always fought for, are the ones to suffer,” he said.
