Town Clerk, Carol Sooba.

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang on Thursday, April 10 quashed the appointment of Carol Sooba as Town Clerk, stating that it was illegal.

In his ruling, the Chief Justice noted that the Local Government Minister did not have the power to appoint Sooba.

Sooba was officially appointed as the Town Clerk by the Guyana Government on December 4, 2013 despite several objections about her lack of qualifications for the post.

Following her appointment, Public Relations Officer of the Mayor and City Council, Royston King moved to the High Court, challenging her appointment. King had also applied for the Town Clerk position.

In court documents filed, King through his Attorney, Nigel Hughes contended that when the Local Government Minister chose Sooba for the post by the powers vested in him, he did not take into consideration the criteria that the interview panel would have set, that the viable applicants would have satisfied rules and regulations and that the recommendations of the interview panel was ignored.

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang

The main Opposition – A Partnership for National Unity had also called for Sooba to be removed, following allegations that she is not adequately qualified.

Leader of the APNU had said, “Ms. Sooba is unqualified; she is unsuited and unwanted by the majority of members on the city council.”

However, her appointment was defended by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, who had noted that she was not appointed to the post based merely on the issue of qualifications, but on her experience as well.

Sooba, since her appointment as Acting Town Clerk in 2012 had come under heavy criticism and invoked a ‘deadlock between herself and Mayor Green.