For a second time community activist Veerasammy Ramayya has resigned as the Coordinator for President Irfaan Ali’s Rapid Response Taskforce in Region Six, alleging that there is massive corruption in the region and that when it is highlighted by him regional officials become upset.
In 2021, Ramayya resigned, claiming that he was unable to work with regional officials who seemed to have an issue with him reporting directly to the President. However, yesterday he explained to Stabroek News that after he had resigned then, he met with President Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, who requested that he remain on the job and report directly to them.
Nevertheless, Ramayya said he continued to send his monthly 15-page reports to the regional officials as well. But at this stage, he said, he cannot continue with the “corruption” that is ongoing, stressing that “my toleration has run out. I am not going to compromise my principles and honesty for no political party.”
Ramayya, who has a television programme that is broadcast on social media, often airs issues affecting residents – and this seems to annoy the regional officials, who have been on a campaign to silence persons criticising actions by the government.
According to him, he believes that it is important to highlight the issues. He believes that that would make the government a “stronger” one, he said.
He also noted, that despite his position within the government, he has not been invited to regional activities, events, and meetings.
However, despite the sidlining, he continued to work, but according to him it is the alleged corruption that was the last straw. Highlighting the part-time work programme, where some 4,000 persons are employed, Ramayya said, he has discovered that in some cases three persons from one household were hired despite Jagdeo when launching the programme saying that only one person per household would be employed.
Furthermore, Ramayya said, that a single mother from Alness Village, Corentyne, had reached out to him explaining that despite registering she was not hired. He said, the woman had visited some regional officials but nothing was done.
However, after she visited him he recorded her while she was explaining her story and she broke into tears. He sent the video to President Ali, who immediately acted to ensure the woman was employed.
According to Ramayya, there are several other similar instances. “Friends getting employed, friends getting contracts,” he stressed.
He then pointed out, that he is still receiving massive complaints about issues with NIS, GuySuCo, and even flood relief. He said he had included the discrepancies discovered with the distribution of flood relief in the region in one of his reports.
According to him, up to this day, some persons who suffered due to the flood did not receive any assistance while others who were just placed on the list already collected.
In August 2016, Ramayya resigned as the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six under the then APNU+AFC government citing “unbearable” circumstances as the reason.
Then Ramayya had been at loggerheads with the Regional administration for months with accusations of him not functioning adequately in his position. He also had issues with the then Chief Executive Officer of the New Amsterdam Hospital Colin Bynoe.
In September 2016, following his resignation, Ramayya rejected suggestions that his performance had been substandard and he charged that AFC leaders Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo had failed the people.
Ramayya had said that his troubles as REO began after he refused to carry out tasks that he deemed wrong. He had highlighted that most issues developed after he refused to sign off on the tendering process for certain goods and services in the region. He had also alleged that his former party’s men interfered in the work of the Regional Tender Board.
Meanwhile, yesterday he told Stabroek News that he will continue on his path to represent the interest of the people of Region Six. Ramayya over the years has become extremely close to residents as he often visits them in their time of need and offers whatever assistance he can.
He is well known for attending wakes and funerals and lending a supportive hand to residents during these difficult periods of their lives. Residents regularly reach out to him to air their issues and concerns.
