Nine WIN councillors have moved to the High Court to end the impasse over the election of Region 10’s Chairman and Vice Chairman, arguing that the continued failure to reconvene the Regional Democratic Council has left the region without a fully functioning elected leadership structure.
The councillors are seeking court orders compelling Regional Executive Officer Dr. Gregory Harris, in his capacity as Clerk of Council, to convene a meeting of the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council to complete the election process.
In a statement issued yesterday, the WIN Region 10 Secretariat said a Fixed Date Application was filed in the High Court on August 21 after what it described as months of unsuccessful efforts to have the matter resolved through administrative, political and legal channels.
The legal action was initiated on behalf of the nine elected WIN councillors by Dhurjon Chambers and Roysdale Forde, S.C.
According to WIN, Region 10 remains the only administrative region without an elected Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman following the 2025 Regional Elections.
The party said the unresolved situation has prevented the council from properly functioning, including establishing statutory committees and exercising oversight of the Regional Administration.
WIN further contended that the impasse has limited democratic participation in regional decision-making and restricted the ability of elected representatives to effectively represent communities across the region.
The party said the councillors had attempted to resolve the issue through formal correspondence with successive Regional Executive Officers and Clerks of Council, resolutions passed by a majority of councillors, and engagements with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.
Other efforts, according to WIN, included complaints to relevant authorities, public appeals, peaceful demonstrations, petitions, awareness campaigns and legal correspondence outlining the statutory obligations under the Local Democratic Organs Act.
“Despite these efforts, the meeting of the 10th Regional Democratic Council has not been reconvened to complete the election process,” WIN said.
The party argued that the failure to complete the election process has created a governance crisis and undermined the democratic rights of Region 10 residents who voted in the elections.
“At its core, this matter is about the rule of law,” WIN said, noting that all 18 councillors were elected and sworn into office and that the law provides a mechanism for electing the council’s Chairman and Vice Chairman.
WIN maintained that the court action was not aimed at any political party or individual, but was intended to secure compliance with the law and restore the full functioning of the council.
The party said it remains committed to pursuing the matter peacefully and lawfully and expressed confidence that the court would provide clarity on the way forward.
“The people of Region 10 deserve a fully functioning Regional Democratic Council,” the statement concluded.
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