For the first time this year, a meeting of the Region Five Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was held without disruptions but also without APNU+AFC councillors present.
Over the past several months, RDC meetings have been disrupted as APNU+AFC councillors of Region Five continue to call for an apology from Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal over an alleged snub of President David Granger. The contretemps began after Ramphal was not in attendance at a handing over ceremony in the region, where the President was present. APNU+AFC councillors dubbed this as disrespectful to the president and have been disrupting statutory meetings ever since. The chairman’s explanation was that he was not invited to the ceremony.
At yesterday’s meeting, Vice-Chairman Rion Peters called on councillors to put aside their differences and work towards the betterment of the region. He said if the region is to be developed, councillors on both sides need to work together. According to Peters, if each community has representation at the regional level, it will be beneficial to everyone.
“Mr Chairman, I would like to sound my disappointment with the absence of the honourable members that were elected to represent the people of this region under the APNU+AFC,” he said. He urged the members to put the interest of the people above all and move forward. “We were elected to meaningfully and adequately represent the people of this region and it is time that we fulfill that mandate,” Peters declared.
A number of issues were discussed yesterday with the main one being the flood situation in the region. Several communities have been under water for weeks due to the heavy rainfall while several drains, canals and outfalls in the region are silted up. A decision was made by councillors present to have drains and canals in residential areas cleared.
According to Ramphal, the RDC has been making representation and other agencies have been called on for assistance.
Regional Executive Officer Roderick Edinboro was absent from the meeting and the chairman disclosed that a letter which states that the council had taken a decision for a statutory meeting to be held on June 23 was circulated but Edinboro chose not to attend.
“He refused to make himself available and to make the necessary arrangements…I would like to make it public that he is taking advice from politicians…He is being highly political because in my presence he would call one of the APNU+AFC councillors seeking advice on whether he should allow the meeting this morning (yesterday) or not,” Ramphal said. “The only way a meeting can be summoned is by the Regional Chairman making a request which the REO needs to fulfill,” he declared. Ramphal said that because of the REO’s actions, the people of the region will continue be “affected.”
