Region 10 governance deadlocked: WIN councillor alleges exclusion as REO refuses to reconvene council

Apr 02, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Almost six months into a state of administrative paralysis, Region 10 (Upper Demerara–Upper Berbice) remains without a chairperson, as WIN councillor Mark Goring alleges attempts by the PPP and APNU as the primary barriers to progress.

“The chairman has been keeping meetings and completely excluding me… The PPP has found a willing participant to keep us out so APNU is fine with that,” Goring stated to Kaieteur News. Efforts to contact acting chairman Deron Adams for a comment proved futile.

Region 10 governance deadlocked: WIN councillor alleges exclusion as REO refuses to reconvene council

Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Ten, Dwight John

The internal friction comes as Regional Executive Officer (REO) and Clerk of Council, Dwight John, yesterday declined to comment on reconvening the stalled election. Kaieteur News previously reported that he said, “When the time ready everybody will be appraised with that information. I don’t have that in mind right now.”

The deadlock traces back to October 10, following the September 1, 2025, regional elections. In a shift for a region traditionally dominated by the PNC/R, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, secured the most votes. Of the 18 councillors sworn in, WIN held nine seats, APNU five, the PPP/C three, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) one.

When the council met to elect a leader, the vote for chairman ended in a 9-9 tie between WIN and APNU nominees. The REO subsequently suspended the process, initially claiming that the matter would be referred to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand to break the tie. However, the minister has since clarified that she has no role in the selection, noting that the clerk must follow lawful procedure to resolve the impasse.

Goring previously revealed that the regional administration submitted its 2026 regional budget without any input or consultation from the elected councillors, a move WIN argues violates the Local Democratic Organs Act, Cap. 28:09.

“Budget submitted without the councillors’ input, the old chairman [Deron Adams], the RDC is using to sign off on things… they are using the loophole to do that,” Goring said. He noted that while the law dictates a council must convene 14 days after an election, the timeline for appointing a Chair is less clearly defined, allowing the current “governance vacuum” to persist.

WIN released a statement expressing concern over the breakdown of oversight. Under normal operations, the RDC functions through statutory committees, Works, Education, Agriculture, Health, and Finance, that scrutinise regional administration and public projects. Without an elected chairman and vice chairman, these committees cannot be established.

“This lack of democratic oversight undermines accountability… and exposes the Region to risks of inefficiency, poor prioritisation, and lack of transparency in the use of public funds,” the party stated.

Supporters of WIN in January launched a three-day picketing exercise outside the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Administration Building in Linden over the REO’s failure to break the deadlock over the election of a chairman and vice chairman. The protest was held under the banner, “Democracy Delayed is Democracy Denied”. Demonstrators carried placards reading, “Democracy Delayed is Democracy Denied,” “Swear in Goring,” and “Respect my vote, respect my choice, REO,” among others. Councillor Leola Narine joined protests held in Region 10 over the delay, emphasising that Region 10 is the only region “left behind” without a functional RDC. “We are asking because it is our constitutional right for our RDC to function,” Narine said.

On January 22, WIN and FGM signed a joint resolution demanding the immediate reconvening of the RDC, which would give them a 10–8 majority if a new vote is held. They also wrote to Manickchand, citing the absence of statutory committees, the exclusion of councillors from budget preparation, and the lack of representative leadership for some 40,000 residents. Meanwhile, APNU councillors Dominique Blair, Suzette Gordon Murray, Orlon Roger, Donna Perry and Faye Rodriquez said in a statement that they are willing to participate in an election “at the earliest opportunity.”

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APNU, Dwight John, PPP, Region Ten, REO, WIN Party

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