Despite uproar, Region 4 votes for chair, vice chair by secret ballot

Last Updated on Friday, 10 October 2025, 19:22 by Denis Chabrol

The new Chairman of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) is Clemsford Belgrave, making it the first time since Guyana’s 1966 independence that the region would be chaired by a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) councillor.

Mr Belgrave won 18 votes, and A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Shanika Haynes, 8 seats. There were 7 blanks and 2 spoilt ballots.

Despite a boisterous rejection by APNU, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) councillors of a decision by Regional Executive Officer Donald Gajraj for votes to be cast by secret ballot, they all complied eventually.

Mr Gajraj had threatened to evict persons who disrupted the proceedings. “People who are making noise will be asked to leave, and legally so,” he said.

The PPPC Councillor Neville Cumberbatch remarked, “If you’re not a councillor here the man can put you out.”

FGM Leader Amanza Walton questioned Mr Gajraj’s basis for deciding there should have been secret balloting. “On what authority? You have to put it to a vote. We will not proceed,” she said.

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin also said the decision on the form of voting should have been put to a vote by the councillors. “You have to put it to a ballot,” he said.

APNU Councillors had also took to their feet but were ordered by Mr Gajraj to take their seats.

The vote was observed by top representatives of the PPPC and the three other parties.

At the end of voting, Mr Belgrave and Ms Haynes accepted the invitation by the Regional Executive Officer to “come and look after your interest” during the counting of votes.

The FGM’s Tinicia Stoll cast her ballot and audibly called Ms Haynes’ name, an indication that she might have voted for the APNU nominee.

Moments earlier before ballotting Ms Haynes was heard urging her fellow APNU councilors to state who they were voting for, as they went to the ballot box in apparent defiance of secret balloting.

Traditionally under the chairmanship of a PNCR/APNU councillor, this time around the Region 4 seats are split 17 to the PPPC, 9 to APNU, 8 to WIN, and 1 seat to the FGM.

Ms Belgrave then commanded the proceedings with the election of the vice chairman.

Following the same procedure, the PPPC’s Deoraj Nauth was elected vice chairman with 17 votes, beating Ms Haynes who secured 11.

The Regional Executive Officer said “sell out” was written on one of the ballots. There were 5 blanks and two spoilt ballots.