What is the authority of these regional REPS?

Sep 20, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
I will once again like to share my frustration as to what I deem the over-riding of the Regional System for political gains and major inference into matters that ought to be dealt with by the authorities. Since the APNU+AFC Government took office in 2015, we saw several persons being hired by the Office of the Prime Minister as Regional Reps to the Prime Minister. I do not know if those hired are representing the PM personally or if they are representing his Office. There is a major difference there for those that can read through the lines. Representing the PM office is totally different from representing the PM himself.
In Region 5 we had one Mr. Abel Seetaram, who was fired by the Prime Minister without a fair hearing. I will continue to defend Mr. Seetaram because I know that the man did nothing wrong during his tenure in the position he held but he simply represented all the people no matter race, religion, political affiliation, etc. He was also a threat to the entire PPP in Berbice. He was a target for some within the APNU+AFC in the region. He was a target for the Regional Administration because he stood up for workers rights and benefits, more over for working conditions to be better.
On several occasions I visited his office to seek his involvement in getting some matters resolved, but he always said that there is a process that he works with and does not supersede those in authority that have the rights and power to deal with the matters. I respect him for that and he will work through the process to see things done.
But recently in the news I saw the PM Rep in Region 6 doing things by not doing the proper consultation with those in authority at the RDC or NDC level. I am saying this because I enquired about it. He seems to be using his power for his and the PM’s personal gains towards over riding the system. This man is said to be calling up the police and asking them to deal with matters quickly. He summons officers to his office. I once heard on the news that he called up the US Embassy to enquire about a woman that was left stranded in Guyana. Recently he summoned the market vendors to his office for a meeting to deal with the impasse there.
I am very surprised at those moves because I was recently told by an employee of the Prime Minister’s Office in Georgetown that there are specific roles and guidelines for those Reps. I was also told that they are not the Prime Ministers’ Rep. but Representatives to the Office of The Prime Minister. Those remarks on the role of the reps make me wonder as to who is really in charge of the Reps.
I was told that the OPM Regional Reps are there to take complaints only and not dictate what is to happen but to forward those complaints to their boss in the Head Office, who then deals with it and give the Reps a feed back on the outcome of the situation\problem. So, more over Dr. Ramayya was right, it is like a note taker or a complaint desk officer.
The public needs to know of the roles of these people, and how it relates to the office they hold. I cannot see the OPM Rep doing things on his own by over steppiing the RDC, NDC or town council. The people who are the leaders of those entities need to put a stop to this man because he is abusing his powers within the region. I was also told he is a regional councilor in the region. Therefore, he should be aware that all complaints as a regional councilor must be taken to the regional chairman first before any action to solve the situation can be made.
I don’t know what is taking place, but I do feel the PM should put a stop to this type of dictatorship coming from the Rep of his office. The PM should also check on people’s background when hiring, because the man representing his office in region 6 needs to answer some question about the past. So it seems that questionable ones are the best to be hired by this APNU+AFC government.
I call on the Head of State and the man in charge for the Affairs of the State Hon. Joseph Harmon to carry out an investigation into the role of those persons hired by the PM to work with his office as regional reps. If the PM is saying corruption must stop, then I challenge him to publish the role of his Office Reps in the various regions. Dictatorship must stop. We can’t talk of the things the PPP used to do and we in the APNU+AFC are doing same. Take the challenge PM Nagamootoo!
James Fraser

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