Region 10 left in limbo as Chair, Vice Chair still to be elected

Mar 09, 2026 News

– WIN renews calls for REO to reconvene meeting

(Kaieteur News) – Five months after the adjournment of a meeting to elect a new chairman and vice chair for the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10, Upper Demerara–Upper Berbice region is still without the critical leadership.

At its weekly press conference on Friday, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) renewed calls for Regional Executive Officer (REO) Dwight John to reconvene the meeting so that the council could elect a chairperson and vice chairperson.

Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Ryan Richards told reporters that the region he represents has been left in limbo. He stressed that reconvening the meeting is critical to ensuring the region functions effectively.

“The regional and general elections have long passed. The national budget has also been passed in the National Assembly, yet to this date the region remains in limbo without a functioning RDC,” Dr. Richards said.

Region 10 left in limbo as Chair, Vice Chair still to be elected

Dr. Ryan Richards

He explained that while the outgoing regional chairman continues to function alongside the REO, the absence of a newly elected leadership structure is affecting the council’s operations.

Dr. Richards further stated that he has been reliably informed that several persons within the RDC are being sidelined, including the outgoing regional vice chairman and a number of elected councillors who are unable to properly execute their mandate under the current circumstances.

Ordinarily, councillors would conduct community outreaches to listen to residents’ concerns and bring those issues to statutory meetings where solutions are be discussed and implemented. However, those processes have effectively been placed on hold.

WIN is therefore calling on the REO to fulfil his responsibilities and reconvene the statutory meeting so that the elections could be concluded and the region can move forward with proper oversight and administration.

Dr. Richards noted that the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development has already indicated publicly that she has no role in reconvening the meeting.

“The minister responsible has already stated that she has no part to play in this matter. That has been well ventilated in the public domain. So, it now rests with the REO to do his job and convene the meeting so that proper leadership can be elected for the RDC,” he said.

This publication contacted REO Dwight John for an update and to determine whether a date had been set for the meeting. He responded, “When I am ready to call the meeting, all media houses will be notified.”

When reminded that he had given a similar response months ago and asked whether there were any challenges or timing issues delaying the process, John simply said, “The issue will be resolved.”

Last month, WIN Member of Parliament Duarte Hetsberger accused the government of constitutional failure over the continued delay in convening the RDC’s statutory meeting, months after the elections.

Speaking during the budget debate, Hetsberger told the National Assembly that the Region 10 RDC had still not met to elect its chairperson and vice chairperson despite the national budget already being laid and regional programmes moving ahead.

“They haven’t reconvened that statutory meeting to conclude the election for its chairperson and vice chairperson, Mr. Speaker, and yet a budget is before this Honourable House. Expenditure has been outlined, programmes are moving forward, yet the duly elected council — the body constitutionally mandated to guide, scrutinise and implement regional development — has been excluded from the process,” he said.

“This is not a technical delay. It is not an administrative oversight. It is a constitutional failure — utter failure,” Hetsberger added.

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Chairman, Dr. Ryan Richards, RDC, Vice-Chair

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