Region Eight REO accused of “frustrating development”

Aug 25, 2012 News

– Council maintains removal calls

Region Eight Democratic Council has renewed its calls for the removal of Government appointed Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ronald Harsawack, who it said is frustrating development within the district.
However, Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Ganga Persaud during a recent press confidence had said, “While the RDC in itself can express their dissatisfaction with the performance of any employee, they need

Region Eight Chairman, Mark Crawford

to support those dissatisfaction with evidence based on documentation, so that the administration in itself and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development can seek to intervene, investigate and make a determination.”
But, according to Crawford, he does not want to enter into a war of words with the Minister, but the record needs to be cleared on the Council maintaining its no-confidence position against Harsawack.
“The Council’s sole reason behind the motion of no confidence was based on the REO’s failure to cooperate. When put to the vote the council passed the no-confidence because they agreed that the REO was on the path to frustrate the work of the Council.”
“The passing of the no-confidence has nothing to do with understanding procurement or road contracts, and it is not a personal issue. As Councillors we were elected by the people and we owe it to the people that work is carried out that will improve their communities,” Crawford asserted.
The Regional Chairman emphasised that when Government-appointed servants do not cooperate with the Council, the will of the people is not respected. Numerous instances of the REO impeding development were cited in a letter to Harsawack and copied to Ministry’s Permanent Secretary.
The letter, which was dispatched in June, included unfinished road works, refusal to share resources, and inadequate communication with the Council.
Crawford opined that residents of Region Eight should not suffer because they voted a particular way.
“Whether the Government controls the Region or an opposition party, the residents of Region Eight are as much Guyanese as residents of Regions Five or Six. And the Government-appointed REO must not be encouraged and allowed to penalise the residents of Region Eight,” Crawford stressed.
He noted that residents of Region Eight do not want to take the same route residents of Region 10 recently took before their concerns were addressed by Government.
“Government must note that the Region has serious concerns and the REO must not continue to frustrate the Council’s efforts to address these concerns,” Crawford said.