Sooba breaks her silence on Town Clerk issue : - says extraordinary meeting in City Hall compound was ‘tainted with illegalities’ and a ‘public relations stunt’ by the Mayor
Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green at the extraordinary meeting in the City Hall yard, on Tuesday
ACTING Town Clerk of the Georgetown Municipality and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the City Hall Administration Ms. Carol Sooba said, yesterday, that business there continues as per normal.
Breaking her silence on the alleged ‘illegal’ appointment of Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Royston King, to the Town Clerk position by Mayor Hamilton Green, she stated that, at this point, she sits in her office undisturbed.
“Unless King has another Town Clerk office from which he intends to operate,” she wondered.
The Sixth Schedule Part I of the Municipal and District Councils Act Chap 28:01 gives the Town Clerk the responsibility of convening any meetings of the council, preparing the agenda, minutes and reports of any such meeting, which will be related to the Local Government officials.
According to her, the illegality of the decision taken Tuesday, in the absence of approval from the Local Government Minister, is null and void with immediate effect, since King is “not authorised” to sign cheques on behalf of the Town Clerk, which is one of the administrative duties of the post.
Sooba is adamant that the Tuesday meeting was tainted with illegalities, stemming from the misunderstanding, by the Mayor and Councillors, of the Acting Chief Justice’s ruling, as well as the Municipal and District Councils Act Chap 28:01.
She remarked that the Mayor held an extraordinary meeting of the City Council, which was not in keeping with the local government legislation, asserting that his action of convening it in the compound of City Hall was “a public relations stunt.”
NOT NECESSARY
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, who was in attendance at the meeting on Tuesday, maintained that the symbolism of the Council Chamber is not necessary for the purpose.
She insisted that the only symbolic item which would be needed was the Statutory Mace and that was in the possession of the Mayor, who took it without permission from Sooba, who remains the custodian of such items belonging to the Council.
Sooba said the Mayor, through the Councillors, has the right to call for the convening of an extraordinary meeting of the council. However, it is the duty of the Town Clerk to sign the summons for it, providing that it fulfils the need for urgency of a matter too significant to be held off until the next statutory Council meeting.
GUIDING DOCUMENT
She continued that it is the duty of the Town Clerk to approve of the agenda, which is the guiding document of instruction for every meeting, such as the agenda that was not approved by the Town Clerk, but instead was imposed by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Sooba told the Guyana Chronicle that Mayor Green must not have understood the principles governing a “stay of execution” which was made effective when the Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Norman Whittaker, filed an appeal, which is yet to be heard.
She said the Mayor, clearly, does not understand the meaning of a “de facto” ruling, because that of Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang meant that the status of the Town Clerk would be maintained by her, allowing her to hold office until the appeal by the Local Government Minister, against the decision in favour of King, was determined.
Sooba pointed out that King was at the extraordinary meeting and was merely trying to railroad over the appeal and she admonished him.
She said she has found it difficult to sign cheques for payment to a man she perceives has not been doing the work of the Public Relations Officer.
Sooba disclosed that she has since been advised by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall that legal action will be taken against the decision favouring King.
