By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
Region 10 (Upper Demerara–Berbice) has been without an elected Chairman and Vice Chairman for nearly four months, creating a governance vacuum that has disrupted the region’s operations and compromised the preparation of its 2026 budget.
Following the October 2025 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) elections, the council split evenly in a 9–9 tie between nominees from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and APNU. The Regional Executive Officer (REO) and Clerk of Council suspended the election process, initially indicating the matter would be referred to the Minister of Local Government.
However, Minister Priya Manickchand later clarified that amendments to the Local Democratic Organs Act in 2017 removed ministerial involvement in selecting regional chairpersons, placing responsibility squarely on the council and its clerk to follow the law.
In response to the continued stalemate, RDC councillors from WIN and the Forward Guyana Movement have filed a resolution urging the REO and Clerk to convene a meeting to elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman in accordance with the Act. The resolution reportedly carries a majority but lacks support from APNU.
WIN officials warn that the leadership deadlock has serious consequences. With no functioning council leadership or committees, elected councillors say they were unable to participate in crafting the 2026 regional budget, which was instead submitted by the regional administration without council input.
As the national Budget 2026 approaches, the absence of elected leadership in Region 10 is raising concerns about accountability, democratic governance, and the region’s ability to effectively plan and execute development priorities.
