The suspected exposure of an Alliance for Change (AFC) councillor to a COVID-19 positive person resulted in an abrupt adjournment of the statutory meeting of the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Thursday.
Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram has defended the decision to adjourn the meeting as he pointed out that it was made in the interest of public safety. The AFC councillor, Amarnauth Chinkan, has since tested negative for the virus, this newspaper was told last evening.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, Seeram explained that Chinkan, who wanted to sponsor a no-confidence motion against him and Vice-Chairman Samuel Sandy, was found to have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 through contact tracing.
Seeram stated that on Wednesday, Chinkan along with other councillors were in a meeting with the Regional Executive Officer Donald Gajraj.
“The REO subsequently informed the Office of the Regional Chairman that he was exposed to COVID-19 and would be unable to attend the statutory meeting,” Seeram said in a statement issued after the meeting.
On Thursday morning, Seeram related that he was contacted by Gajraj who informed him that he was exposed to a COVID-19 positive person and will not be able to attend the meeting. During that time, Gajraj also informed Seeram that the councillors, who were exposed to him should stay away from the meeting and get tested.
However, Chinkan attended the meeting and refused to leave the room, forcing Seeram to prematurely conclude the meeting.
Notably, Seeram said that since the council had taken the position to meet face to face in a larger open space, they had no arrangements in place for virtual attendance.
The council’s statutory meeting is hosted at the Lusignan Community Centre.
General Secretary of the Alliance for Change, David Patterson, however, explained that when Chinkan was informed of the exposure he went and got tested.
Patterson stated that the Councillor explained to him that he was fully vaccinated and masked up during the meeting, thereby limiting the possibilities of other being exposed to the virus.
Seeram, however, seemed not too happy with that explanation. “I am deeply disturbed and disappointed by the reckless and callous actions of Regional Councillor Amarnauth Chinkan which resulted in the premature adjournment of a critical statutory meeting.”
The matters to be discussed were the proposed projects in the 2022 budgets, which were prepared by Gajraj without any input from the councillors and the absence of meetings with the administrative committee.
According to the Regional Chairman, they must now dedicate special days to meet on these matters and then return to brief full council on the developments.
