A People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor, Headley Pio, has been elected Chairperson of the Region Eight Regional Democratic Council. His deputy has been identified as Claris Jones-Francisco, a Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) candidate.
The development comes seven months after a new government took office, and 11 months after elections were held in Guyana. Following the March 2 General and Elections, all of the regions with the exception of Region Eight had constituted councils and elected their respective Chair and Vice-Chairs.
Region Eight’s delay, Guyana Standard understands, was due to several councillors testing positive for COVID-19. Further, the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) was in the process of replacing one of its councillors.
The move has been criticised by the main Parliamentary Opposition, particularly its leader, Joseph Harmon, who has accused the LJP and PPP/C of conspiring to have a PPP/C councillor named Chair.
Below is a breakdown of the other RDCs:
REGION ONE
Seats: 15 (5 APNU+AFC; 10 PPP/C)
Chairman: Brentnol Ashley
Vice Chairman: Anasha Peters
REGION TWO
Seats: 17 (Allocation: 5 APNU+AFC; 12 PPP/C)
Chairperson: Vilma Audrey Da Silva
Vice Chairman: Humace Odit
REGION THREE
Seats: 27 (Allocation: 9 APNU+AFC; 18 PPP/C)
Regional Chairperson: Ishan Ayube
Regional Vice Chairperson: Omesh Satyanand
REGION FOUR
Seats: 35 (Allocation: 20 APNU+AFC; 1 Change Guyana; 14 PPP/C)
Regional Chairman: Daniel Seeram
Regional Vice Chairman: Samuel Sandy
REGION FIVE.
Seats: 18 seats (Allocation: 8 APNU+AFC; 10 PPP/C)
Chairman: Vickchand Ramphal
Vice Chairman: Rion Lancedale Peters
REGION 6.
Seats: 30 (Allocation: 10 APNU+AFC; 20 PPP/C)
Regional Chairman: Permaul Armogan
Regional Vice Chairman – Zamal Hussain
REGION SEVEN
Seats: 15 (Allocation: 8 APNU+AFC; 1 LJP; 6 PPP/C)
Regional Chairman: Kenneth Williams
Deputy Regional Chairman: Nageshwari Lochanprashad (Kamal Persaud)
REGION 9
Seats: 15 (Allocation: 6 APNU+AFC; 9 PPP/C)
Regional Chairman: Bryan Allicock
Regional Vice Chairman: Bertie Xavier
REGION 10
Seats: 18 (Allocation: 15 APNU+AFC; 3 PPP/C)
Regional Chairman: Deron Adams
Regional Vice-Chair: Douglas Gittens
