New Councilors for Orealla/Siparuta

May 04, 2009 News

OREALLA, CORENTYNE RIVER – McLean Devair was elected unopposed, recently, and would continue to serve as Toshao of Orealla and Siparuta on the Corentyne River for another three years.

Head of the Local Government Committee in Region Six Dennis Deroop

Two persons, the other being John King, were nominated for the position of Toshao, However, King was ruled out since he resides at Number Seventy-eight Village, Corentyne but visits the reservation frequently. For the past six months he was residing on the reservation but the Amerindian Act states that in order for an individual to vie for post of Toshao, that person must be living in the village for at least three years.

New councilors, 70 per cent of whom are under the age of 32, were elected in Orealla and Siparuta last week as well.

According to Region Six Vice-Chairman and Head of the Local Government Committee in Region Six, Dennis Deroop, the election of councilors is held every three years. There is one Toshao for both Orealla and Siparuta. The councilors are nominated separately.

Of the 21 nominations for Orealla, ten were elected. They are Floyd Edwards , Ingrid Devair , Danny Morris , Grantley Devair, Andrew Henry , Mitchell Rogers , David Henry, Crenston Herman , Laforna Thomas , and Lennie Lowe .

Ten were nominated at Siparuta and six were elected. They are Dell Williams , Hilary Wong , Hilbert Herman , Keith Herman , Alfred Lindie , and Wilfred Felix .

According to him, two of the councilors at Orealla were re-elected.

The Vice Chairman is optimistic that this body can take the villages forward. He said that in the past, the older persons could not cope with the volume of work and as such the reservations suffered.

At the time of the elections there was only one councilor at Siparuta and three at Orealla.

In the past, many of those who served as councilors were not as transparent to the residents and persons had little or no faith in them.

Meanwhile, the Regional Administration is continuing to lend assistance to both communities. The President’s Youth Choice building at Orealla, as requested by the young people, would be used as a library/skills training centre for both Orealla and Siparuta.

Last year Government, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, allotted some $500,000 for projects in Siparuta. The money was used to construct a small landing. Work is still in progress and is expected to be completed by August.

Orealla was given $1.5 million. This was used to build a benab that is being used as the main meeting place.

Guyana Water Inc. is soon to lay pipelines and other paraphernalia to supply both Orealla and Siparuta with potable water.

Guyana Power and Light has already laid the necessary lines and planted poles and soon the communities are to receive electricity for the first time.

According to Mr. Deroop, the Government has already purchased the generator.