PPP says Region Four chairman blocking motions

The PPP on Friday accused Region Four Chairperson Genevieve Allen of arbitrarily rejecting motions submitted by PPP/C and AFC councillors at the last statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Thursday.

In a statement, the PPP said its councillor had submitted a properly signed Motion on July 25th and copies were given to the Regional Executive Officer, the Registry, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman on that date. “At the statutory meeting the chairman did not entertain the Motion on the ground ‘that it was not properly addressed’,” the statement said.

It added that the other Motions by AFC councillors were also properly presented but were also rejected by Allen on the grounds “that there were not within the prescribe notice.”

Several attempts by Stabroek News to contact Allen for a comment on the allegations proved futile.

The PPP said it rejects “this scheme of the APNU+AFC controlled RDC # 4 aimed at preventing debates and public notice of matters of concern to the councillors and residents of Region # 4 and the public at large.”

The PPP motion called for the RDC to stand in solidarity with residents of Region 5 claiming that the residents are continuously affected by the absence of a functioning RDC.

The AFC motions called for the establishment of a councillor’s secretariat, the provision of minutes of the Regional Tender Board as well as increased remuneration for councillors.

In terms of the motion for increased emoluments, it was noted that although officials elected at both general and regional elections received increased remuneration following the polls, regional councillors were not extended the same courtesy. The motion called on the RDC to make representation to the subject Minister for a salary corresponding to 50% of the remuneration paid monthly to a Member of Parliament, to be paid to the regional councilors.