Unless the Court rules otherwise, the Minister’s order stands

Monday, 27 January 2014, Source

THE action of the Deputy Mayor of the Georgetown City Council, in addressing the Town Clerk of the City Council as Acting Town Clerk could, at best, be described as an act of disdain and disrespect on the part of the Deputy Mayor, who should be guiding and not misleading the Council. In fact, Ms. Sooba must, in any duly constituted meeting of the Council, be addressed by Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councillors, staff of the Council, indeed, by all persons attending such meetings of Council, as Town Clerk, and she cannot be faulted for failing to respond to what can only be described as a deliberate misnomer.

Only if the Court rules against the Order of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development appointing Ms. Sooba as the Town Clerk should she be addressed in the Council as Acting Town Clerk.

Neither the Council nor Mayor, or any person performing duties of Mayor, can usurp the authority of the Court. The Deputy Mayor and the rest of the Council are advised to focus on the business of the Council, and this must, of necessity, include addressing issues of mismanagement of the Council’s affairs, lack of accountability, corruption and the inability to provide even the most basic services to the citizens of Georgetown.

As at present, the Council does not have a Plan or Budget to guide its activities during 2014. They focus on the Town Clerk and not the residents of the City.

Mr Mayor/Madam Deputy Mayor/Councillors! The health, safety and property of citizens are in great danger; that is where your focus must be.

Minister Norman Whittaker, M.P.; J.P