Dear Editor,
After reading a letter in the Stabroek News of October 3, with the caption ‘APNU+AFC councillors disrupted RDC meeting,’ as well as in the Kaieteur News of October 4, by Julius Faerber and a PPP councillor, I am compelled to tender my position.
First, with reference to the August statutory RDC meeting I wish to endorse the letters published in SN and KN by Parmeshwar Ramdiol and a PPP councillor in September. I was present at the RDC meeting and recognised the truthfulness of the letters.
To begin with, Mr Faerber contended in his most recent missive to the media that a no confidence motion was passed for the removal of the REO. Under the Laws of Guyana, Local Democratic Organs Chapter 28:09, Subsidiary Legislation, subsection 5.3 it is clearly written that for Region No 3 twenty-seven elected councillors are members of the Regional Democratic Council. If a unanimous decision is taken at the council it means that all 27 voted in favour of it, or the number present which constitutes the quorum. In the case of an absolute majority it will be 2/3 of the councillors and if it is a simple majority it will be just over half of the 27 or just over half of the number that constitute the quorum. In the case of the last statutory RDC meeting twenty-two councillors were present which means it was quorate. I therefore challenge the Regional Chairman to provide proof that a simple majority or 12 councillors voted in support of his impromptu no confidence motion. I know that fewer than 6 councillors voted in support, so it baffles me to understand Mr Faerber’s position that council voted on a motion to express no confidence in Mr Denis Jaikaran.
Secondly, the Regional Chairman claimed that Denis Jaikaran only works on decisions that suit his interest and not those of the council. Editor, I can flood your newspaper with works done in Region 3 by the REO that suit the interest of Region 3 citizens, but space would not permit. However, let me mention just a few: construction of Home Economics and Science Laboratory at Wakenaam Secondary School; construction of bitumen road in Wakenaam (Bankhall area); renovation of deplorable government buildings at Wakenaam; donation to Wakenaam Night Committee which is headed by a PPP/C councillor; installation of a proper gate at Wakenaam Secondary School; installation of lights for the Maria’s Pleasure Health Centre; reconstruction of an X-Ray department at Leguan Cottage Hospital which was badly built; a completely new school at eastern Leguan; a new bridge (main access) at Endeavour, Leguan; maintenance of bridge at Good Intent, Leguan; completion of the X-Ray department at Parika Health Centre; construction and completion of a state of the art dental section at Parika Health Centre; grading of a number of all-weather roads across the Region, most recently at Belle West, West Bank Demerara; digging and cleaning many drains and canals across the region, most recently in the Tushen/Uitvlugt NDC area; rehabilitation of the once deplorable Leonora Cottage Hospital Road that now gives Mr Faerber easier access to his home; renovation of a number of government buildings that were in a dilapidated state; a complete facelift for the Leonora Hospital, among other infrastructural improvements; renovation of the two surgical theatres at West Demerara Hospital; construction of a High Dependency Unit at the said hospital; promoting social cohesion among all his staff by observing and participating in all national events and holidays, the two most recent being Amerindian Heritage Month and the National Tree Planting exercise; intervening at the request of rice farmers to provide fresh water to their rice crop during the dry season, hence saving 90 per cent of the rice crop ‒ and so much more.
Editor, if the above is working in the REO’s interest and not that of the council then I dare him to tell me what really is the council’s interest.
In conclusion, Mr Faerber said in his missive that the REO is mandated by Chapter 28:09 to carry out all the decisions taken at statutory meetings. Even though I did not see those words directly, I did see under Part III (Regional Democratic Councils) section 33 the following words: “In the management and development of its region, every council shall be guided by the general policies of the government and the national objectives as set by the government, and shall devise its development plans and programmes to ensure consistency with such policies and objectives; and in the performance of his functions each councillor shall endeavour to co-operate with every other councillor and with all socio-economic institutions in the area.”
Considering the above clause, I humbly ask, what is it that the REO and councillors supporting him are doing that is against the general policies of the government and the national objectives set out by the government?
Yours faithfully,
Ganesh Mahipaul
