Dear Editor,
I wish to add more clarity to the issues I raised with regards to the Region 6 2017 Budget Proposals. The caption of the budgetary estimates speaks for itself: ‘Proposed Capital Expenditures 2017’ so there is no doubt that it is a proposal made by the RDC to central government.
On September 9, the Regional Vice Chairman held a press conference in an attempt to do some damage control, and kept on reiterating that the 2017 Estimates are ‘just a proposal…only a proposal’. He also belaboured the fact that there were many proposals made by NDCs and that all cannot be accommodated. He then made a remark about the whole issue being politicized by an RDC Councillor.
Firstly, I made it pellucid in my letters to the media that the ‘proposals’ in the 2017 Estimates were not derived from a broad consultation with stakeholders, and that it had been admitted by the Regional Vice Chairman that he and the Regional Engineer drove through the areas and knew what proposals should be in the budget. I also emphatically stated that consultation should be at the heart of any budget formulation.
Secondly, I also admitted in my letter that not all the NDCs’ proposals can be incorporated in the RDC Estimates, but pointed out that proposals from the NDCs should be prioritized. This prioritization of projects should have been subject to consultation with the NDCs, and this was not done. The Regional Vice Chairman did not address these pertinent issues in his press conference and failed to give valid reasons.
Furthermore, he claimed that I made “wild allegations” with regard to the fact that the small excavator which is assigned to the NDIA was doing “private work”. I want to assure him that I took photographs of the “private work” in the presence of an NDC Councillor and I took pictures of the flooding at Chesney the said day in the presence of the residents who were affected. These pictures were attached to my letter to the press.
Lastly, the Hymac operator was instructed to move out of the Cropper School area even though some residents, upon my instruction, approached the Hymac operator to clear some clogged drains which contribute to flooding in the area. We have the works schedule which was prepared by the NDC at its statutory meeting, yet the Regional Vice Chairman showed total disregard for the work prioritized in that schedule. This has led us in the NDC to conclude that Mr Deoroop is also the Chairman of the Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC and Mr Joshua Appadoo, a councillor of the said NDC is the Vice-Chairman.
Mr Deoroop made an important observation that the PPP/C is not in government but what he failed to admit is that he should stop behaving as though he is in government. This type of political interference by him will be counterproductive to the functioning of the NDC and I again call on Minister Bulkan to address this dictatorial attitude of the Regional Vice Chairman.
Yours faithfully,
Haseef Yusuf
Chairman Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC
