Yet another statutory meeting of the Region Five Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was disrupted by APNU+AFC councillors last week and the new Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison has called on the leaders to be more responsible.
APNU+AFC councillors of Region Five want Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal to apologise over an alleged snub of President David Granger early this year but Ramphal has refused. The contretemps began after the chairman 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.
Last week, the councillors continued to call for an apology. Morrison and councillors from both sides were present at the meeting. However, when Ramphal attempted to start the meeting, APNU+AFC councillors started to sing hymns and on this occasion, folk songs.
The chairman forcefully called the meeting to order and the PPP/C councillors stood to recite the national pledge, but in attempting to stop the meeting from commencing, APNU+AFC councillors sat through the recitation of the pledge.
As Ramphal spoke and tried to continue with the meeting, the coalition’s councillors sang louder. The Regional Chairman then invited Morrison to speak.
However, the APNU+AFC councillors did not give him the opportunity, belting out folk songs even louder. At one point during the banging of name tags and singing, APNU+AFC councillor Carol Joseph stood up and started to dance around the region’s boardroom. The meeting was subsequently adjourned.
At a subsequent press conference, Morrison speaking in his capacity as the clerk of the RDC, said from his perception, both sides have some justification in their arguments.
He said that since taking up his post, he had two lengthy discussions with the Regional Chairman. “I concluded with the belief that the chairman is willing to take guidance even though he might have mis-stepped. Ever since I came into the Region he made a few missteps with me. As late as this morning he offered me an apology but I think he is willing to correct his misstep,” he said.
“My perception suggests that there is forces beyond him that seems to be pressuring him and unless the chairman takes an independent stand in the interest of his region and people, it is going to be a poor reflection on young people,” Morrison added.
APNU+AFC councillors at one point during the meeting had accused the Regional Vice-Chairman, Rion Peters of signing and sending out minutes and taking notes.
“Those are all violations,” Morrison said. “That’s why I said both sides have merit,” he added.
According to the REO, he hopes that somehow the region climbs out of the dilemma it is in at the moment. He emphasised that notwithstanding the actions of the councillors, his team will carry out the duties of the region.
“As Regional Executive Officer, I let all the head of departments know where I stand and they let me know where they stand,” he said. “I want to assure you that this team come 2016, 2017 and the years after, you will see tremendous progress coming from the administration of the Regional Democratic Council,” Morrison declared.
