WIN Takes to Streets Over Region 10 Chair Impasse

Supporters and representatives of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party staged a three-day protest in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara–Upper Berbice), from January 28 to 30, accusing the central government, the Region 10 Regional Executive Officer (REO), and the Clerk of the Council of deliberately obstructing the lawful election of a Regional Democratic Council (RDC) chairperson and vice chair.

Demonstrators gathered outside the RDC building, chanting “Who must go? REO!” and “Swear in Goring,” while holding placards under the theme “Democracy delayed is democracy denied.” Protesters demanded the immediate reconvening of the statutory council meeting required to complete the election process, which has remained stalled since October last year.

The impasse dates back to the October 10, 2025 RDC elections, which resulted in a 9–9 tie between WIN nominee Mark Goring and APNU nominee Dominique Blair for the chairmanship. Under Section 20(6)(a)–(h) of the Local Democratic Organs Act, Cap. 28:09, the council is required to proceed with further rounds of voting until a chair and vice chair are elected. However, instead of reconvening the meeting, the REO and Clerk of Council Dwight John suspended the process and referred the matter to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development.

WIN leaders say this action was unlawful and amounted to administrative obstruction. They further accused the central government of enabling the delay by failing to intervene decisively to ensure compliance with the law, despite repeated correspondence and public appeals.

As part of efforts to resolve the deadlock, WIN and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) submitted a formal resolution, signed by 10 councillors—nine from WIN and one from FGM—calling for the immediate reconvening of the statutory meeting. Among the five resolutions adopted, councillors resolved:

“That the elected Councillors of the Regional Democratic Council, Region No. 10, hereby formally call on the Regional Executive Officer/Clerk of Council to immediately convene the statutory meeting required to continue the election of the Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman as mandated by Section 20(6)(a)–(h) of the Local Democratic Organs Act, Cap. 28:09.”

The resolution was dispatched to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development and the on January 22. According to WIN councillors, no response has been received to date.

WIN councillor Mark Goring said the prolonged delay has left the region without critical leadership and oversight structures. “It’s been almost five months since the regional elections, and half of the region’s governance architecture, including the chairman and oversight committees, is not in place,” Goring said. He warned that the absence of these bodies has severely weakened oversight of projects and public spending in the region.

In an interview with Village Voice News, Goring said he was encouraged by the turnout at the protest but noted that some residents were afraid to participate due to fear of reprisals. He alleged that individuals were reluctant to publicly support the protest out of concern they could lose government contracts. Goring said he is still awaiting a response from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), through Sharma Solomon, regarding the resolution and expressed cautious optimism that the coalition would support completing the election process.

Despite the 2025 election results, former Regional Chairman Deron Adams and Goring continue to function in their previous roles stemming from the 2020 elections, a situation WIN argues has no legal basis following the most recent polls.

WIN Leader and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, who joined party leaders from Georgetown at the protest, reiterated calls for the immediate election of the Region 10 chair, stressing that democratic governance must be restored in a region long regarded as an APNU stronghold.

APNU’s Region 10 councillors said in a brief statement last week that they are “ready and willing to participate in an election once it is convened,” citing a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. However, WIN supporters have criticised the coalition for remaining silent on what they describe as clear administrative wrongdoing by the REO and for failing to take concrete steps to end the impasse.

According to official results declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), WIN secured 10,458 votes in Region 10, while APNU received 5,334 votes, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) 4,260 votes, and the Forward Guyana Movement 662 votes. This resulted in an 18-member RDC comprising nine WIN councillors, five APNU councillors, three PPP/C councillors and one FGM councillor.

WIN leaders say the continued failure to complete the chairmanship election undermines the will of the electorate and amounts to an erosion of local democracy. They have vowed to continue protests and advocacy until the statutory process is completed and Region 10 is granted its full, lawfully elected leadership.