Coalition Councillor C Joseph stood to tell the Council APNU/AFC Councillors would not allow the Chairman to preside over the meeting

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regional councillors in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Thursday continued their campaign to muzzle Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal.

The councillors led by C Joseph disrupted the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) stationary meeting by banging on tables and singing to drown out any utterances of the Chairman.

The meeting lasted less than three minutes.

This is the second time the statutory meeting ended without any business being conducted. Unable to be heard, the Chairman suspended the standing order and adjourned the meeting as he did last month.

The Coalition is demanding an apology from the Chairman, claiming he disrespected President David Granger when he visited on January 15, to commission two buses for the region.

The Coalition is contending that Ramphal was invited to the commissioning but showed total disregard for the President by not attending.

PPP Councillors are contending that the Regional Chairman was never invited to the function and as such there is no need to apologise. The same thing transpired at the last statutory meeting in January where Coalition councillors disrupted the meeting.

The Regional Chairman speaking with reporters said it is a sad day for the region, and urged the RDC to act in a responsible manner and which would aid in further development of the region.

“This is where we deliberate on all the business of Region Five. This is where committees of the RDC will bring their reports to have it ratified and approved by the RDC and if we do not get the support from the government side then we will not be able to execute our functions and our duties in a way that it can benefit the people of Region Five. What they are doing is just depriving the people of the services they deserve in this region,” he said. The Chairman called on the government to support the RDC so that its people can reap the benefits.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman Rion Peters said it is regretful the meeting could not have been conducted as scheduled, adding that as the highest decision-making body of the region, all residents are adversely being affected by the action of the Coalition councillors.

“The Regional Democratic Council’s business could not have been conducted as planned. This can only mean that as a Region our progress is being delayed. People representation is being denied. I am hoping that the councillors on the other side; meaning the APNU/AFC, would understand that our mandate as elected officials does not entail breaking-up meetings.”

Peters is asking for good sense to prevail and that they move on.