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Govt. tightlipped amid deepening crisis in Region 10 administration
(Kaieteur News) – The government remains tight-lipped amid a deepening governance issue in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). Dr. Ryan Richards, WIN MP, stated that the newly sworn-in Regional Democratic Council (RDC) remains paralysed without a leadership structure, even as the regional administration moves ahead with 2027 budget preparations.
The impasse escalated when Dr. Richards, by way of a statement, accused the regional administration of administrative overreach and bypassing elected representatives.
Efforts by this newspaper to contact the newly appointed Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dr. Gregory Harris, for a comment on the allegations were futile.
According to Dr. Richards, the 18 councillors of the 10th RDC were officially sworn into office following the 2025 regional elections on 1st September,2025. However, the completion of internal elections for the posts of Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman has been stalled. Dr. Richards alleged that the former REO Dwight John had continually refused to reconvene the statutory meeting required by law to finalize the leadership votes.
Dr. Ryan Richards, MP
Despite the leadership vacuum, the regional administration has reportedly commenced stakeholder consultations for the 2027 regional budget. Dr. Richards condemned this move, noting that public funds and regional priorities are being decided without the statutory oversight of the newly elected council.
“The Regional Democratic Council is not merely an advisory body,” Dr. Richards stated. “The continued exclusion of the elected councillors from the budgetary process undermines the very purpose for which they were elected and weakens the principles of representative democracy.”
Adding to the confusion, the statement revealed that the Chairman of the previous (9th) RDC is reportedly continuing to function and is actively inviting stakeholders to submit fiscal proposals, despite the 10th Council already taking their Oaths of Office before the REO.
“The transition from one Council to another is a cornerstone of democratic governance,” Dr. Richards argued, calling the parallel authority an affront to the Local Democratic Organs framework that creates public confusion regarding accountability.
The political gridlock has directly translated, according to Richards, into an operational freeze for critical regional committees. Because a sitting Chairman and Vice Chairman have not been formalized, statutory bodies cannot be legally constituted.
Of immediate concern to residents is the paralysis of the Regional Disaster Preparedness Committee. The shutdown comes at a precarious time, as parts of Region 10 are currently battling an ongoing flood situation. Without a functioning committee, the region’s capacity to deploy coordinated leadership, oversight, and disaster response is severely diminished.
Furthermore, Dr. Richards warned that the integrity of public spending is at risk. Without a fully formed 10th Council, elected representatives cannot appoint members to the Regional Tender Board, effectively removing the legal check-and-balance system on regional procurement and tender processes.
Emphasising that the issue transcends party politics, the Member of Parliament stressed that the impasse is fundamentally about the constitutional rights of the electorate.
“The people voted. Councillors were elected. Councillors were sworn in. The democratic process must now be allowed to run its lawful course,” Dr. Richards said.
He called on the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and the relevant administrative authorities to urgently intervene, order the reconvening of the stalled RDC meeting, and enforce compliance with the Local Democratic Organs Act.
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