Honeymoon over for REO Dwight John

– PPP Councillor Kristy Duggin –

REGIONAL Executive Officer (REO) Mr. Dwight John had enough time to familiarise himself
with the vagaries of the Regional system and was given a poor grade for his two-month
performance on the job according to the usually outspoken Councillor, Ms. Kristy Duggin.
Duggin, a Councillor from the ruling Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), feels John’s
honeymoon period as the new REO is over and is unimpressed with his performance.
“I have been pointing out some of these issues at the RDC (Regional Democratic Council) along
with some of my colleagues and I trust that the REO realises that his time for settling in is over
and the work has to be done. We must demonstrate that the public didn’t wasted their time in
voting for this government,” Duggin said.
The Councillor continued: “It’s clear the REO doesn’t seem to know exactly what he has to do
and how it has to be done. He seems lost as to many things in Region Ten and instead of seeking
to better understand these issues he is taken up with the acting DREO who evidently seems to be
misleading him. He needs to be more involved instead of depending on the acting DREO to do
everything when it’s clear that because of his ignorance of several of these issues the acting
DREO is misleading him,” Councillor Duggin contended.
She is concerned that being made the Deputy REO’s public puppet, John will become a political
liability for the ruling party at the next polls.
“The REO has to understand that his actions will result in the public judging him and others at
the next elections and he must recognize that we (PPP) have fought hard in this region and he has
to perform more professionally and effectively,” Duggin counselled.
In candid remarks she cautioned the REO about following practices of the now-opposition
coalition A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) which she
claimed transgressed traditional norms and practices of the regional system.

“When I raise issues and concerns at the RDC is not for the REO to say that he doesn’t know but
rather for him to ensure that they are properly addressed. He has to understand that the
government of the day expects him to deliver on the commitments that they have made to the
people of Region Ten,” she said.
Duggin and her PPP/C colleagues in the RDC plan to meet with REO John to help wean him
away from alleged APNU/AFC errors.
“We the PPP Councillors in the RDC intend to (meet with the REO) as we want to have a
review of plans for the Region so that we can begin delivering in a big way to the people of
Region Ten,” Councillor Duggin said.