Allegations against NDC chairman
Corbin to visit villages today
By Nigel Williams
Stabroek News
February 27, 2004
Leader of the PNCR Robert Corbin is expected to visit Victoria and Golden Grove today to address concerns about the operations of the Grove/Haslington Neighbour-hood Democratic Council (NDC).
Corbin's visit today is a follow-up to one on Wednes-day where he met party officials in the district and embattled NDC Chairman Godfrey Henry.
Allegations have been levelled against Henry accusing him of misusing the council's funds. Henry has strongly denied this.
An official of the PNCR told Stabroek News yesterday that Corbin's visit on Wednesday came in the wake of party members expressing disgust and disappointment at the manner in which Henry has been running the NDC.
According to the official, Corbin met the officials and Henry was invited to that meeting. Officials highlighted some of the problems they are faced with and called for Henry to be sacked.
Today Corbin will meet members of communities represented by the NDC, along with party supporters, to hear their views on the running of the NDC.
Stabroek News was told that only the minister of local government could call on the chairman to step down. Some councillors had written to the minister requesting that he sack Henry, but they have received no reply. Henry told this newspaper he was willing to resign as chairman if the councillors felt he should.
Meanwhile, since Tuesday workers at the NDC's Nabaclis office have stayed away from the job and have placed posters on the walls of the office calling for Henry's resignation.
"No money no work! Henry must go!" were two of the signs written on the office's main door. Workers at the office are still awaiting their December, January and February salaries.
Henry told Stabroek News the NDC was impoverished and defaulting ratepayers were holding back the work. He said the council was forced to incur an overdraft on its budgetary allocation to settle some outstanding debts and also assist in paying staff.
Henry survived a heated meeting last week when staff and councillors were seeking to remove him. The staff had warned that it would not be long before Henry would be forced to vacate office.
So far, Henry's accusers have not produced evidence in support of the allegations made against him. A councillor acknowledged that due to a mix-up between some of the councillors and staff the allegations made against Henry were not discussed at last week's meeting.
Some of the things they say Henry must account for are: market fees, rates and taxes and monies collected for promised electricity to villagers of Golden Grove. They also want an explanation as to why the October, November and December pay sheets were not signed.
The chairman has denied any impropriety on his part and clarified some of the issues raised. He also declared that his slate was clean, adding that at all times he kept a careful account of monies he collected.
Henry has been chairman since 1994 and boasted that at one time his NDC was the best in the region.
However, even though he is still chairman, he has not been reporting for work. This, according to staff, has been happening for over a month now. Henry told this newspaper he had no reason to work every day and was staying away from "trouble" at the office. He accused a staff member of forging his signature and threatening him.