Region Five coalition councilors, REO storm out of statutory meeting

May 20, 2017 News

Region Five APNU/AFC Councilors and Regional Executive Officer, Ovid Morrison, on Thursday walked out of the monthly statutory meeting in what appears to be a re-run of the previous 2016 disruptions.

APNU/AFC Councilors storming out of the boardroom compound.

Shortly after the meeting was called to order by Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal, the REO rose and stated, “As your clerk and Regional Executive Officer, I show no disrespect to you. But in a principled decision, I shall not serve as clerk of this council until the chairman issues an apology.”
Immediately after this announcement, APNU/AFC councilor Dolson Hudson stated that they too will stand in solidarity with the REO.
This action shared similarities with ones taken by then APNU/AFC Councilor Carol Joseph who in 2016 demanded that the Regional Chairman issue an apology to President David Granger.
Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal told the media that the trouble began after he ordered an investigation into allegations raised by another councilor.
According to Ramphal, at the previous RDC meeting, Councilor Abel Seeteram raised the issue of an excavator being misused by the chairman of the Woodley Park/ Bath Settlement NDC. He stated that Seeteram reported the issue to the REO and they allegedly revisited the scene.
Ramphal noted that he then asked for an investigation to be launched into the matter, but this decision was not welcomed by the REO who accused him of questioning his creditably.
“When they told the council about the issue, I asked that they launch an investigation before any action is taken. The REO indicated that if I continue to deliberate on the same issue, he will leave the meeting,” he said.
Ramphal further stated that he informed the REO that “if he wants to go, he is free to do such” after which the REO exited followed by the coalition councilors.
The Regional Chairman stressed that the REO cannot expect actions to be taken on an allegation without a proper investigation. He called on the councilors to put aside their “petty” behaviour and continue to work towards the development of Region Five.
“I do not want a re-run of the previous year where progress was hampered in the region because of an unimportant issue, so I urge the REO and the councilors to let us continue to work together for the development of this region.
“We were put to serve the people and this behaviour displays incompetence on both parties if we can’t get along.”
Ramphal stated that he will not be issuing an apology to the REO, as he was carrying out his rightful duties as chairman of the region.
Meanwhile, the coalition councilors refused to comment on the issue. Efforts to contact the REO for a comment prove futile.

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