PPP/C Region Four Councillor Kwame McCoy has been banned from speaking at meetings of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) until he apologises or withdraws two offensive comments he allegedly made against Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette. McCoy, however, told this newspaper that he is innocent and said that he will not apologise.
Kwame McCoy
According to a release from the Region Four RDC office, McCoy made a false statement and a threatening remark against the regional chairman. It said further that when he was called upon to apologise by another councillor, he refused.
According to the release, the council, by an overwhelming majority, subsequently decided that McCoy must apologise and withdraw the statements or face disciplinary action. Until he apologises, the RDC said, McCoy has also been barred from speaking at any meetings of the committees of the council.
Contacted yesterday, McCoy denied that he ever issued any untrue or threatening remark against the chairman and added that he has nothing to apologise for. He said he intends to challenge the decision and will attend future meetings and will speak when he has something to say.
McCoy accused Corlette of being domineering at council meetings. He claimed that on countless occasions, the chairman has had run-ins with various councillors, including those from his own party. He said the chairman usually attempts to censor him, as well as other councilors, at the RDC meetings. He added that at last month’s meeting of the RDC, the chairman attempted to implement a policy which stated that if councillors wished to speak at a meeting they had to notify him beforehand as well as indicate the topic they wished to speak on. Corlette would then determine whether they could speak or not.
Clement Corlette
Mc Coy said the entire issue came about because he had questioned Corlette’s authority to resuscitate a bank account which had been closed. According to the PPP/C councillor, he indicated that based on the Financial Management and Accounta-bility Act (FMAA) only the Regional Executive Officer had authority to re-open the account, and the chairman did not take kindly to his objection.
Kwame McCoy is a spokesman for the President and a Councillor for the PPP in Region Four! If this is not a recipe for conflict, then what is?
Doesn’t the PPP have another person available with equal or better qualifications and experience to function as a councillor?
It is one thing to make a mistake, but it is another thing to be THE mistake!
and what is Clement Corlette? Isn’t he the representative for the kicked-out PNC dictatorship? Couldn’t the people of the region pick someone else and not Corlette with equal or better qualifications AND unbiased intentions AND the ability to lead AND NOT DICTATE? Some old habits die hard…or not at all.
ANDY YOU REMEMBER.
Well said Andy!
Is Kwame talking about a ‘domineering approach?’ Ever heard him in his capacity as “Straight Talk” moderator and an OP communications officer?
“Kettle telling he matty Pot ,that he bottom ,black”
This guy seems to be an upstart. If it is true that an overwhelming majority of councillors voted for him to be sanctioned, then I assume that PPP councillors also vote for his sanction. Unless they did not, then McCoy’s behaviour would have been confirmed by colleagues from his own party who would have no reason to lie on him. The PPP party needs to sanction him and get him off the region 4 council; he is an embarrasment with him confrontational wrong and strong attitude.
With local government elections you can bet Kwame is a goner….
I have this feelings that Kwame is there just to disrupt. It sounding like an attack dog scenario.
oh that is so bitchy!
Maybe you are right, I have seen this guy on tv and when people call and opposes him he looses decorum and starts to buse. I don’t know Mr Curlette and I am not saying he is not what McCoy claims but McCoy is a case and a half with a piece of work to top it off.
I agree with you Andy. Kwame in my opinion, only has one qualitifaction & that is the fact that ‘he’ could be a very good mouthpiece for ‘his’ masters without questioning anything they command. ‘His’ is a stance ‘he’ has to take because I doubt he could genuinely function under a real government which screens its memers for virtues, real qualifications, moral standing & relatively, if not immaculate track records. Unfortunateyl the current criterium of preference is that your record be tarnished so that nobody could point fingers at anybody. Kwame is basically there to ensure that Corlette’s job is made as difficult as possible. That way they’ll try to implant one of their own to control Reg. #4 at the next (s)elections
I worked with Kwame at the Ministry of Health and he was and probably still is a nice guy to work with. He could be a loose canon, but he is also frank on some issues. He is within his right to object to an activity that he thinks is unlawful, however, he needs to do so respectfully. If what he says about the chairman is correct (that the chairman needs to be notified beforehand before one can speak), then Corlette is living in the past and needs to be told by his PNC colleagues that this is unacceptable. Vincent Alexander, who is a wonderful lecturer in local govt and who taught me at university, could school him.
“McCoy accused Corlette of being domineering!” Ha Ha !
I have notice words such as (upstart,embarrassment,mistake,confrontational) use by some blogger, to describe this young man. That what you get called, when you disagree with with some people. This is the old Guyanese mentality, at it’s BEST. What about a person DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO DISAGREE,oh I forget we are talking about Guyana.
Soesdyke, you are a very funny guy & a netural one at that. I like that. LOL.
Kwame McCoy is an elected official and there is no local government law prevented from representing his constituent. If Chairman Clement Corlette has issues with Mr. McCoy then he should address those concerns through the court. Many of the bloggers accused the PPP of being an elected dictatorship, isn’t Corlette and his majority doing the same? You cannot salience someone because you do not like their views, that is hogwash. If we need progress in Guyana we must stand up for the truth regardless of party affiliation
Kwame Mc Coy thrives on publicity and here we all are, once again, giving him more publicity. He’s not a serious fella, just someone who’s there to stir up trouble, then sit back and enjoy the mischief he’s made. The PPP would be better off disassociating themself with him. Has the makings of another Mark Benschop.