Villagers call on Toshao to step down

Oct 15, 2009 News

– Minister steps in on Santa Mission council row

Just five months after electing a new Village Leader and Council, several residents of the Amerindian village of Santa Mission are calling for fresh elections.
Eighty-six villagers have written to Minister of Amerindian, Pauline Sukhai, asking her to investigate claims against Toshao, Reynold Samuels.
Members of a divided Village Council in a meeting with Minister Pauline Sukhai on Monday were told to go back and work out differences but a number of residents are not taking it like that. On Tuesday they called for the Toshao’s removal on the grounds of loss of confidence.
In a letter dated September 10, to the Region Three Chairman, Julius Faerber, and addressed it to several Government offices, members of a split council claimed that statutory meetings are not held; the Treasurer was replaced illegally; monies were collected by the Toshao but not handed over to the Treasurer and spending of the village money with authorisation.
The letter, also sent to the Minister, accused the village leader of not providing receipts for business transactions and failing to provide reports of at least two developmental projects.
The letter also complained of the Toshao being drunk on many occasions while conducting village businesses and misusing village assets.
In a further letter to Minister Sukhai dated October 7, and signed by the 86 residents, a number of village councilors further claimed that the Toshao left the community without informing the Council and was absent from a scheduled Monthly Village Council meeting. There was no excuse from the official about his absence, the letter said.
On October 7, a number of councilors and villagers visited the Toshao to discuss the operations of a tractor which the council had purchased.
“To our shocking surprise, we were greeted by irate family members and Councillor Sharon De Freitas and family. They verbally abused us and we were threatened by the Toshao’s son (name given) that should his father Toshao Reynold Samuels be removed from office at anytime, he would kill one of the council members.”
Santa Mission, home to over 300 persons, is located about 13 miles from Timehri Docks up the Demerara River.
Several residents, armed with copies of the letters visited this newspaper on Tuesday and said that they were dissatisfied with reports that Minister Sukhai had given Santa Mission six weeks to resolve the problems.
“We definitely have lost faith in the Toshao,” said a villager.
One case that the villagers complained about was the sale of almost 8,000 bm of wood for the community. The wood was transported to an East Coast Demerara business for sale and for transparency a number of councilors and the Toshao were there.
“He cursed the councilors and told them there was no need for them to be there. In addition, only $400,000 plus was handed in to the Treasurer,” another villager claimed.
Attempts by Kaieteur News to make contact with Minister Sukhai yesterday proved futile but her Liaison, Norman Whittaker, acknowledged that a meeting was held Monday with the Minister.
Present at that meeting were the area’s Chief Development Officer and other officials.
Whittaker explained that the Minister went through each point raised by the councilors and called on the Council to attempt to work out its differences.
The Liaison noted that the Minister was cognizant of the fact that the Council was only five months old and would have initial differences among members.
Both sides, including Toshao Samuels, agreed to give it a try and were expected to return to Santa Mission and hold meetings to correct short-comings.
According to Whittaker, it is a surprise therefore that a few villagers are now undermining this process.
The Ministry has given the Council until the end of November to iron out the issues at which time the minister will be visiting the area.
Efforts to contact Toshao Samuels proved futile.

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