Region One Chairman wants Dr Cheffoon and Mr. Nigel Richards removed

CHAIRMAN of Barima -Waini Mr Brentnol Ashley has called for two senior officials from the
education and health sectors removed from the interior region citing politically-inspired
victimisation of junior staff and shifting blame when things go wrong.
“There are two officers in the region that we have asked to be removed for what we (residents
and staff) would have experienced prior to the change of government and with the increased calls
by workers in both education and health sectors here for their removal I am sure it will happen,”
Regional Chairman Ashley said.
He described embattled Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Steven Cheffoon and Regional
Education Officer (REdO) Mr. Nigel Richards as albatrosses around the necks of hapless
employees of the two sectors.
, “Many people have brought numerous complaints of victimisation because of their political
allegiance. We have teachers treated unfairly; officers treated unfairly; many were victimized
and discriminated against in our education. Nigel Richards takes blame for nothing that occurs
within the education system in the Region. If you are in charge of a sector and something goes
wrong, ultimately it is you who should and must take responsibility,” Ashley reasoned.
There is less sympathy for the abrasive RHO Dr. Cheffoon who has been in hot water ever since
his transfer from Mahaica – Berbice (Region Five) following recommendations from a
Disciplinary Committee.

“I have requested that he (Dr Cheefoon) be removed from the region as there is a long list of
complaints within Region One about his actions in and out of the health sector. My Councillors
and I are firm on having him removed as we found that there were a lot of discrepancies under
him when he had spent monies,” the Chairman explained.
The call for Cheefoon’s and Richards’ exit from the 20,339 Km 2 interior community rich in
minerals, tropical forests, beaches and waterways, has the public backing of former Regional

Vice Chairman and now Parliamentary Secretary, Ms. Sarah Brown and Regional Democratic
Council (RDC) Councillors.
“The Parliamentary Secretary Ms Brown has also made representation because of the numerous
complaints, to have Dr Cheefoon removed from the region,” he said.
Chairman Ashley said Dr Cheefoon showed contempt for him and his office and his attitude
adjusted only after the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+
AFC) coalition was booted from office at the March 2020 polls.
“The only time that Cheefoon began operating professionally and acknowledging the office of
the Regional Chairman and even engaging us came about after the change of Government in
August of this year,” the Regional Chairman said.
Medex Jilks is another thorn in the side of the RDC according to Ashley, who cast doubts on her
integrity.
“Medex Jilks knows about some of these things that are happening. We have had cases where
monies are given directly from Central Ministry for MCH (Maternal and Child Health)
programmes that cannot be accounted for (and) we are unearthing more and more (since) we
have started an investigation,” according to the RC.
“I have already spoken to the Director General at the Ministry of Health (Mr. Vishwa Mahadeo)
on the issue of Medex Jilks because we are getting problems where things are coming for
persons living with HIV (PLWHIV) and they are not getting these things,” he complained.
The RDC will closely monitor the troublesome education and health sectors the Chairman
promised.