Region Nine DREO Fired

Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) of Region Nine, Audrey Gomes was issued with
marching orders Monday (October 12). The DREO who returned to work after her 35 days
annual vacation leave was given a dismissal letter. The letter was signed by the Regional
Executive Officer and issued to her promptly after she entered the building.
It was revealed that Mrs. Gomes who was on a three-year contract had only served one and a
half years in the region with her contract coming to an end in 2022. News of her being dismissed
sent shockwaves among many in Region Nine with many expressing sadness and
disappointment. Several persons hailed her as a frank, honest and not a political person who
never got caught up in the politics. An employee of the RDC said; “We are all disappointed
because Mrs. Gomes was a woman of difference. Her only agenda in Region Nine was to serve
and to many she did a remarkable job,”.
Another employee almost in tears spoke about the willingness and care of the former DREO in
assisting employees and the general public. The employee said that unlike many senior officers
of the RDC over the years who came with an agenda to be vindictive and spiteful, Gomes served
with the highest level of professionalism and ethics. “This was truly a woman whose only
interest was in us(employees) getting the job done and this is what made her special as she
respected everyone irrespective of that person’s standing and or position and it helped many to
achieved their goals, thus resulting in cohesive relationships being strengthened,” an evidently
hurt employee related to www.aroundtheregions.com
It was disclosed that shortly after the change of Government, Gomes received a call from the
Minister of Local Government and Reginal Development, Nigel Dharamlall identifying himself
as the new minister. He urged her to continue working on the emergency budget, while inviting
her along with other programme heads to a meeting in Region Four. “I had spoken to Minister
Dharamlall and he wanted me to continue working on the budget and that is what I did,” Gomes
said.
She disclosed that a letter signed by the REO Karl Singh on September 4 th instructed her to
proceed on her 35 days annual vacation leave, which was pending. It was slated to commence on
September 7 until October 11 th . However, resuming duties on October 12, she learnt about her
being dismissed.
Quizzed on the situation, Gomes confirmed that she was fired. She however stated that she has
no intention of taking any legal actions, stating that she firmly believes that every government
has a right to decide who they want to work along with. “I am hurt because I wasn’t a political
person. I have seen how politicians and the politics operates. I have no intention of taking legal
action,” she said.
Gomes stated that she is still in Lethem but is expected to leave shortly to rejoin her family. She
said that her last child who is nineteen years old is expected to start University of Guyana next
month and she was hoping to remain in the system to offer both financial and moral support to

her. “My last child is going to UG from next month and I was hoping to back her up financially
and morally. I don’t know what I will do,” she confessed.
The former DREO said that even if she was moved or placed at a desk until the end of her
contract, she was prepared to accept same, taking into consideration that she has responsibilities.
She however stressed that she has to accept her fate and will seek the time at home to rebuild and
regroup as she cannot sit by idly because her family depends upon her. She admitted that she
holds no ill will against the current REO as she understand that some positions comes with the
greatest uncertainty, adding that she trust that the President will seek to address what she said is
the wanton dismissal of some persons. “I can understand if someone was deeply involved in
politics or is ineffective but to fire someone who wasn’t even involved in politics is
heartbreaking. From my evaluation, the President seems willing to work with every one and I
trust that he speaks to his ministers because when you send people home at such short notice
what do you expect them to do. They just didn’t wake up that morning and decided to fire me, at
least they could have saved me the embarrassment of turning up and even called me while I was
on vacation,” she reasoned.
The mother of three said that while she has no immediate plans of where or what she will do, she
intends to get employ shortly to continue taking care of her responsibilities.