Latest update March 28th, 2025 6:05 AM
Latest News
- “It will be a very bad day for Venezuelan if they attack Guyana or ExxonMobil”—Rubio declares
- Guyana gets info on U.S. tax evasion allegations against Mohameds, Mae Thomas
- US$35 injected into banking system to address foreign currency shortage—VP Jagdeo
- Citizens to stage protest today against lack of access to information in Guyana
- Guyana vows to stand with U.S.
RDC chairmen, deputies sworn in
Twenty persons were sworn in yesterday to lead the country’s 10 regions.
A number of the Vice Chairpersons of the RDCs who were sworn in by President Donald Ramotar yesterday.
The elections for the Chairpersons and their deputies of the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) took place Wednesday with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) taking control of six regions. Coalition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), won the chairmanship for three regions while the Alliance For Change snagged Region 8.
Yesterday, the 10 Chairmen were sworn in by President Donald Ramotar who warned that he expects much of them.
The work of the RDCs, however, may have a few weeks to fully kick in with the National Budget still to be tabled and passed in Parliament.
The RDCs are the mechanisms used to carry out government programmes in the 10 regions.
There were also two women elected as vice-Chairpersons- Genevieve Allen in Region Four for APNU and Amrita Thomas in Region Seven, also for APNU.
At the swearing in yesterday in addition to family members, were APNU’s Chairman, David Granger, and AFC’s Presidential Candidate, Khemraj Ramjattan, among other senior officials.
The notable change in the political makeup for the hierarchy in the regions was in Region Eight, where the AFC, the newest of the parliamentary parties, managed to get its nominee, Mark Crawford, elected to the post.
It means that for the first time in the history of the Potaro/Siparuni region, that the Chairman was not of the ruling PPP/C or the People’s National Congress, the party which is the major bloc in the opposition coalition of APNU. However, APNU managed to get hold of the Chairmanship in Regions Four (Clement Corlette), Seven (Gordon Bradford) and Ten (Kuice Sharma Solomon). These areas traditionally enjoy the support of the PNC.
The new RDCs’ Chairmen shortly before being sworn in by President Donald Ramotar yesterday. From left front row are Paul Pierre (Region 1); Parmanand Persaud (Region 2); Julius Faerber (Region 3); Clement Corlette (Region 4); Bindrabhan Bisnauth (Region 5); Back row from right are Permaul Armoogan (Region 6); Gordon Bradford (Region 7); Mark Crawford (Region 8); Wilson Lorentino (Region 9) and Kuice Sharma Solomon of Region 10 (partly hidden).
The PPP/C had its representatives elected in Regions One, Two, Three, Five, Six, Seven and Nine. The Chairmen for those regions, respectively, are: Paul Errol Pierre, Parmanand Persaud, Julius Faerber, Bindrabhan Bisnauth, Permaul Armoogan and Wilson Lorentino.
Mortimer Mingo, who served as Region Ten Chairman, was not even selected to sit as a member of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). Mingo was at the centre of a public row in which it was claimed that he had initially accepted a government offer for a piece of land in the now infamous Pradoville 2 where former President Bharrat Jagdeo and a string of high-profile officials had chosen house lots.
Councilors for the RDCs are selected by political parties based on votes cast at the General and Regional Elections. A meeting is called by the respective Regional Executive Officer at which the Councilors are sworn-in. Once they are sworn in, nominations for a Chairman and Vice-Chairman are then made and the two are elected by the very councilors who were sworn in.
Former Chairman of Region One, Fermin Singh, was elected as Vice Chair.
The RDCs are tasked with carrying out the programmes of the Central Government in their particular regions.
Vishnu Samaroo (Region Two), Azam Pasha Mohamed (Region Three), Rion Lonsdale Peters (Region Five), Bhupaul Jaghroo (Region Six), Cornel Edwards (Region Eight), Douglas Edward Casimero (Region Nine) and Byron Wilmoth Lewis (Region Ten) were the others who secured the position of Vice Chairmen in their Regions.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The PPP has started the intimidation
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In politics, as in life, what goes around comes around. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic... more
The Caribbean: Destined to Grin and Bear the Consequences of Its Self-Created Vulnerabilities?
By Sir Ronald Sanders For decades, many Caribbean nations have grappled with dependence on a small number of powerful countries... more
Weekend Cartoon
