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Absenting Coalition councillors booted from Region Six RDC
Two seats that were occupied by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) members were yesterday declared vacant by the Regional Chairman, David Armogan, in association with the entire council.
The decision was made following their extended absenteeism from the council at statutory meetings for more than six months.
Booted were Councillor Koushal Goberdan, representing the Black Bush Polder, and Councillor Janet Samuels.
Regional Chairman David Armogan told the media after the statutory meeting that the rules clearly stipulate that if a councillor is absent for three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse then the seats ultimately can be declared vacant, paving the way for new councillors to fill the spot.
Armogan explained that both Samuels and Goberdan over the last six months, were absent consistently without excuse. “We have not heard from them; no excuse from them and so this (yesterday) we had to take a conscious decision at the level of the council to declare their seats vacant so that the coalition can be able to replace them with persons that are willing to work with the council and who are willing to represent the interest of the people.”
He stressed that it is unfair to have a councillor not showing up for meetings but collecting the monthly stipend. Armogan asserted that the councillor must be present to represent matters that are affecting the residents.
This, he said “are the duties and responsibilities of all councilors.”
The two empty seats yesterday next to Councillor Gobin Harbjhajan
The Chairman further explained that the next step moving forward will be to advise the REO Kim Stephens to write GECOM since the councillors were selected from a list of candidates submitted to GECOM by the party.
The GECOM’s CEO will then be informed of the vacancies that currently exist within the RDC. A written correspondence will be sent to the parties involved in the coalition government to inform that the seats have been vacated.
Two councillors from the list of councillors will then be chosen to fill the spots.
Meanwhile, Regional Representative to the Prime Minister Gobin Harbhajan opined that RDC is considered a “mini parliament” and thus “it is sad what happened (yesterday) where two of the seats from our side were declared vacant.”
He added that there were indications that Councillor Koushal Goberdan had migrated to the USA and had authorized persons to uplift his stipend.
Harbhajan said, “As an RDC Councillor I feel that we need to fill these seats as soon as possible as the opposition side has 19 seats and we have only 11 seats. By losing two we are left with nine, which is a blow.
I know for sure that the APNU+AFC has lots of capable people in the region who can fill the seats and who will make the commitment to serve their region with high standard. As an APNU+AFC Councillor I urge my fellow councillors to attend all the meetings because we are put there to serve the people and push the government developments programs and agenda, this region has a large budget and many RDC/committee meetings counselors been absenting from both sides and it’s very difficult for a few counselors to make decisions when it comes to health, agriculture, education, finance and works committees all councillors have an obligation to play their part.”
The regional representative related that the Regional Chairman and the REO have sent a strong message, one which he fully supports.
It is his belief that in an effort to see development in the region all councillors must be involved and show interest.
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