Region Four troubles...REO refutes allegation, will provide evidence to Minister

Region Four troubles…REO refutes allegation, will provide evidence to Minister

Jun 01, 2013 News

Region Four Executive Officer (REO), Deolall Rooplall, has refuted allegations of failure or refusal to carry out decisions. He is also accused of refusing to execute orders of the Council and for this. The council wants him dismissed.

Regional Executive Officer, Deolall Rooplall

According to Rooplall, he will provide the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development with the necessary information supporting his claims that the statements by the Council are false.
He emphasized that even though the Council wants him dismissed that final say is with the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud. However, the Council is hoping that Persaud would comply with its request to dismiss the Government appointed REO.
During an interview with Region Four Chairman, Clement Corlette, on Thursday, this publication was informed that a letter requesting the dismissal of Rooplall would have been dispatched to the Minister yesterday.
This letter was expected to highlight several instances where the REO did not follow instructions. Corlette said that the REO failed to account to the RDC for over $126M in savings on a 2012 approved work plan. “And he refused to provide details on what the savings were eventually used for,” Corlette said.
He added that in 2012 the Council was given money to purchase two vehicles. The REO was tasked with purchasing the vehicles. Instead of registering it under the RDC, they were registered under the Ministry of Local Government.
According to Corlette, in response to this act, Deolall said he needed a letter to have tax waivers for the vehicles and so he approached the Ministry for assistance, hence the status of the registration.
The Chairman said that such a letter could have been uplifted from the Council.

Regional Chairman, Clement Corlette

Another matter of contention is the persistent failure to submit a plan to repair broken school furniture. This plan has been outstanding since May 2012.
Corlette stated that there were many pieces of furniture in a school that needed repairing. The RDC had decided to give the project to one of the Technical Institutes and the REO was informed. However, the REO gave the project to a contractor, without the RDC’s knowledge.
The Chairman also accused the REO of suppressing officers who are in charge of different departments.
During an interview with this publication yesterday Persaud said that he was not in receipt of the letter and probably would not see the document until Monday because he was heading out of town.
However, from the little gathered in the media the only allegation he is aware of is that relating to the registration of the vehicles under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
According to Persaud, he does not believe that the situation warrants anything to be resolved. The Minister related that it is a situation where the Council keeps saying one thing differently. He recalled that the Chairman wrote a letter to the REO informing him that the rental of vehicles is not necessary because the Region has sufficient vehicles.
Persaud assured that he will pursue the matter on Monday and would be able to provide additional