The Region 10 headquarters

The Region 10 Democratic Council (RDC) and the central government on Friday appeared to inch closer towards an agreement on the chairmanship of the two committees, averting a possible fresh round of protest.

RDC Negotiator, Aubrey Norton said “more or less” when asked whether the two sides were moving closer to settling their differences since the August 21, 2012 agreement that had seen the end of violent unrest in Linden.

RDC-10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon said his delegation and that of the government agreed to settle on four names that were not unacceptable to both sides to chair the electricity review committee and that economic services committee.

For the economic services committee, the RDC has tabled Professor Clive Thomas and University of Guyana lecturer, Jacqueline Williams. The government has also proposed Williams with the addition of economist Karen Roopchand.

The RDC wants either Civil Engineer Charles Ceres or Management Consultant Earl B. John to chair the electricity review committee. Government has offered John Lewis and private sector executive Clinton Williams.

“These are the names that we will finally settle on for consideration when we meet again next Wednesday,” Solomon told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com)

Unlike the economic services committee that had remained chairman-less since the RDC-government accord five months ago, the electricity review committee had held a number of meetings until its chairman, Narvon Persaud resigned suddenly in mid October without giving any reason.

The decision to set up the electricity review committee was aimed at resolving the central issue of whether government should go ahead with plans to cut its subsidy to the bauxite company, Bosai Minerals, for electricity generation to the town. Faced with a steep hike in electricity rates, residents had taken to the streets to pressure government into aborting plans to reduce the subsidy.

Government in the August 21, 2012 accord has agreed to put the reduction of the subsidy pending the outcome of the work of the electricity review committee.

The economic services committee is expected to review all proposals that have been made over the years and new initiatives as part of efforts to craft an agreed development plan to be financed by government. The once thriving bauxite town is regarded by regional authorities as impoverished and lowly employed.

The Regional Chairman was disappointed that Friday’s meeting had not addressed the status of the licensing of the region’s television station. Government maintains that the application must be done directly to the National Broadcasting Authority while the RDC-10 wants government to process an application that had been made to the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) prior to the constitution of the authority.

Asked about the tone of the meeting, the RDC Chairman said “We have always had a very frank and cordial relationship but nevertheless we are very focussed purposeful on behalf of the people.”

Three Lindeners were killed in July during clashes between police and protesters. An GUY$80 million Commission of Inquiry is yet to complete its probe into those killings. A number of government buildings was burnt during that unrest that had seen the blockage of key roads and bridges, resulting in the cutting off of key food and fuel supplies to Regions 8,9 and 10. At the same time, the country lost millions of US dollars in bauxite and timber sales.