THE Regional Democratic Council of Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice) has unanimously passed two resolutions opposing an imminent decision by the Ministry of Local Government to transfer both the Regional Executive Officer and the Deputy Regional Executive Officer simultaneously, and for a delegation to have a meeting, within one week, with the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development to discuss their concern.
The decisions were taken at a specially convened Extraordinary Meeting of the RDC at its boardroom yesterday.
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The RDC said it was informed by a senior Local Government Ministry official by telephone earlier this month that the transfer of the two most senior officers of its administration was part of a nationwide programme of restructuring being implemented by the Ministry.
The meeting attended by 15 of the 18 councillors of the RDC of Region Ten expressed grave concern over the likely consequences of the removal of the two top officers in the administration at the same time.
Regional Chairman of Region Ten Mortimer Mingo has said that the Regional Democratic Council of Region Ten was not averse to the transfer of any officer of the regional Administration, but he expressed the view of the Council, that he could not support the transfer of both Regional Executive Officer (REO) Mr. Basil Benn and the Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) Carl Parker at the same time.
One of the two resolutions stated "the Council is painfully aware of the disruptive impact that the simultaneous removal of the top two officers will have on the effective execution of the planned programmes.
Such removal will severely affect the institutional memory and effective continuity of projects already on stream by the council, with negative consequences in every area and aspect of the regional Administration's programme and for the people of Region Ten. The council views this planned removal of these two officers simultaneously as being injurious to regional development, as their joint removal will leave a monumental information void in all of the programme areas managed by this administration".
The Chronicle understands that Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Phillip Hamilton, has stated that the Ministry is in receipt of the press release and will be issuing a statement on this matter. He confirmed the Ministry's decision to recall REO Benn back to the Ministry of Local Government effective March 31, 2004 as Mr. Benn's stint in Region Ten was temporary and had come to an end.
Mr. Hamilton, however, said that his Ministry was unable to confirm DREO Carl Parker‘s transfer, since Mr. Parker was not a political appointee as was Mr. Benn. Hamilton said that Mr. Parker's official transfer would have to come from the Public Service Commission.
Information reaching the Chronicle indicates that no official letter has been issued to Mr. Parker as yet. Mr. Benn is awaiting his written transfer order.
A member of the RDC told the Chronicle that Mr. Benn is to be replaced by a Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) of Region Three (West Coast Demerara). Benn is to be transferred to the Head Office of the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry as the
Principal Regional Development Officer. The Councillor said Parker is to exchange positions with an Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO) from Region Nine.
Benn has had two stints in Region Ten. He served as Regional Executive Officer from 1990-1993 and from 1999 to present. Parker has been the Region Ten DREO also from 1999. Their transfers are to take effect from April 1, 2004.
The People's National Congress (PNC/R) Councillor Errol London spoke of the prudence of retaining at least one of these officers, in light of the necessity of maintaining viable relationships with the other employees in the administration, the contractors and their groupings that the RDC would normally transact business with.
Mr. London also indicated that sound management practices would inform that a truncation of the administration in this manner would not be in the best interest of the smooth functioning of the organisation as a whole.
And People's Progressive Party (PPP/C) Councillor Ms. Thelma Lew-King has reportedly requested that the Council meets with the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development within one week to discuss the matter and moved another motion to this effect. Councillor Lew-King also expressed serious concern over the fact that there were several unanswered questions posed to the REO and the DREO by the Council and it was uncertain that these outstanding issues would ever be resolved with the involvement of two new officers at the top tier of the management of the regional administration.
Regional Information Officer Mr. Leon Roberts said the decisions of the RDC were to be relayed to the Minister of Local Government yesterday.