Regional chairman breaks ranks with support for Bartica IMC

Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford’s support of the newly-installed Interim Management Committee (IMC) for Bartica has raised eyebrows in light of APNU’s opposition to it.

APNU won the chairmanship of the gold-mining region in last year’s elections and appointed Bradford as Chairman. An enquiry into the operations of the Bartica Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in March by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development saw residents speaking largely in favour of the NDC and calling instead for local government elections. However, two weeks ago the Ministry- in what the former NDC chairman Gerald Joseph said was a stealthy move – dissolved the NDC and appointed an IMC.

At the swearing-in of the IMC members, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported Bradford as assuring the committee that as head of the region he is prepared to work with whichever body is put in place to serve the residents. Subsequently, APNU’s spokesman on Local Government and Regional Development Ronald Bulkan condemned the installation of the IMC. “There can be no justification or explanation why five months into 2012 the government is dissolving NDCs when they should be focusing their energies and resources to hold local government elections,” Bulkan told Stabroek News. “Their actions are sinister and unhelpful and does not reflect good on them,” he said.

Bulkan declined comment on the presence of Bradford at the swearing-in of the IMC saying that he has not been able to speak with him. When contacted by Stabroek News, APNU leader David Granger said that he too has been unable to speak to Bradford and he would prefer to do so before giving a statement. He reiterated APNU’s opposition to the IMC. He said that the coalition is aware that there were certain issues facing the Bartica NDC but as things stand, they are not in support of the IMC.

Granger has said that IMCs are being staffed with PPP/C cronies. “The most recent was the NDC in Bartica, Region 7, where fifteen PPP/C nominees were installed as NDC councillors and the four other councillors perceived to be independent nominees were entirely left out,” he said last week. Granger also called on the government to expedite local government reforms so that local government elections can be held soon.

Attempts to contact Bradford were futile and Stabroek News was told that he was travelling in the Mazaruni.

The opposition have been calling for “overdue” local government elections to be held. Local government elections have not been held since 1994. The government has been holding enquiries on NDCs and has replaced some with IMCs in recent times and APNU has been speaking out against the “surreptitious” removal of NDC’s and installation of IMCs in several areas. In recent times, inquiries have been held at Lethem and Kwakwani.