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McCoy says suspension from RDC was null and void
The woes at the Region Four Democratic Council (RDC) continued yesterday with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) faction saying that it is prepared to take Chairman, Clement Corlette, to court over the suspension of Kwame McCoy, a councilor.
PPP/C's Region Four Councilors at the press conference at Freedom House yesterday. At center is Kwame McCoy.
McCoy, a PPP/C councilor, was suspended for 90 days last month following a RDC meeting. Yesterday, a high-charged press conference of the RDC’s PPP/C councilors accused Corlette of becoming intolerable. They also said that they will not be honouring unauthorised taxi bills which were racked up by the Chairman to the tune of $500,000. The cost of a recent court case filed by Corlette against suspended Regional Executive Officer, Shafdar Ali, will also not be paid by the RDC since it never authorised the case in the first place.
Yesterday, McCoy, during the press conference at Freedom House, Robb Street, said that his suspension was null and void and that he will be attending future RDC meetings since he did not even receive any official notification.
According to McCoy, the Chairman has on several occasions abused his authority even to the point of clashing with his own PNCR councilors who disagree with him. On one occasion, he said, Corlette even tried to open an RDC bank account without the necessary permission. On February 16, the PPP/C attempted to bring a motion to discuss Corlette’s leadership. However, this was disallowed since according to the Chairman, 96 hours notice was needed, according to the RDC’s Standing Orders.
The following week, in another meeting, Corlette allowed a motion to suspend McCoy for disobedience, the press conference heard. There was no 96 hours notice nor was the motion procedurally correct since it came up on the meeting’s agenda under “any other business.” According to McCoy, it is a clear attempt to “shut-up” the most vocal of the councilors and by extension, the PPP/C.
That RDC meeting also highlighted the relationship between the PNCR and AFC since an AFC councilor, Anthony Haynes, who was not even present the week before seconded the motion for McCoy to be suspended, McCoy charged.
Along with McCoy at the press conference were PPP/C’s Member of Parliament, Neend Kumar; the RDC’s Vice Chairman, Mohamed Khan, and other PPP/C councilors.
McCoy stressed that he is prepared to be involved in a “ring-dong” battle with the Chairman to ensure that the people of Guyana get their deserved services from the RDC. According to the RDC Vice Chairman, Corlette, by his very attitude, is interpreting his role in that position to suit himself. He is not an executive; his role is merely to preside at RDC’s meetings. Corlette has been attempting on occasions to usurp the power of the Minister of Local Government by trying to appoint an overseer at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, although this clearly fell within the authority of the REO and Permanent Secretary, Khan said. Responding to questions, McCoy accused Corlette of renting assets of the RDC without the necessary permission.
McCoy claimed that the issues were discussed in RDC meetings on several occasions. These instances were successful as in the case of the bank account which was not authorised.
The official said that the Chairman unilaterally took the REO to court with discussing it with the RDC. It brought the RDC into disrepute, McCoy claimed.
With regards to reports that Corlette was the one that alerted the Auditor General of possible wrongdoings with the REO’s office, McCoy said that if this is being claimed by the Chairman, then he is a “consummate liar”.
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