Linden Town Clerk fired – Min Bulkan cites continuous disruptive attitude
Jonellor Bowen speaks to the media at Freedom House on Thursday
Jonellor Bowen speaks to the media at Freedom House on Thursday

THREE weeks after she was reinstated to her substantive position as Town Clerk of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, Jonellor Bowen’s appointment was revoked with immediate effect by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan on Thursday.
Prior to being reinstated, Bowen was sent on five months administrative leave to facilitate an investigation into several allegations levelled against her. A statement from the Ministry of Communities on Thursday noted that the minister took the decision based on the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01. Sections 118 (1) which states: “The power, save as otherwise provided hereinafter, to appoint persons to hold or act in any local government offices the emoluments of which exceed eighteen thousand dollars per annum (including the power to confirm appointments), the power to exercise disciplinary control over any persons holding or acting in such offices and the power to remove any such persons from office shall vest in the Commission.”
Although this section cites such powers being vested in the Local Government Service Commission, Minister Bulkan is legally allowed to carry out this mandate in the absence of the Commission.
Bowen was issued a letter on Thursday informing her of the minister’s decision to revoke her appointment as town clerk. The letter, which was seen by this newspaper, advised Bowen to make arrangements for a smooth transition.
“You are further informed to make arrangements for an orderly and accurate hand-over of all assets, keys and documents pertaining to the administration and Council to the Deputy Town Clerk of the Linden Mayor and Town Council,” stated the letter.

BOWEN’S DISRUPTIVE ATTITUDE
Meanwhile, when contacted, Minister Bulkan told the Guyana Chronicle that he had reinstated Bowen against the recommendations of the investigative committee to give her a chance of redeeming herself, but her continuous disruptive attitude disappointed him.
According to the minister, within the three weeks, Bowen had intensified her disrespectful attitude instead of rehabilitating herself.
“I have been able to satisfy myself that Miss Bowen’s actions were disruptive, divisive and disrespectful to the mayor and to the council. In addition, she lacks an understanding of her role as the Clerk of the Council which should be the servant of the Council,” Bulkan said.
He further noted that two weeks ago, Bowen had sent him a letter, in which she complained about the mayor’s actions which convinced him that she sees herself as equal to the mayor.
“I am satisfied that she lacks a fundamental misunderstanding [sic] of her role which is to basically be a servant to the council and I am satisfied that the information that I received, I am convinced that she is disruptive, she was an equivalent of a Carol Sooba, so her time has run out,” Minister Bulkan affirmed.
An administrative staff member of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, who requested anonymity, shared the sentiments of the minister and noted that she was unhappy with Bowen’s autocratic leadership style and unthankful attitude.
“Would you believe she insulted us in her first statement to the staff on her first day back at work? She told the staff at a welcoming meeting, ‘welcome to the first day of hard work, because she found so many things wrong, though she see some major changes and that the market stinks.’ This is an insult to the staff who was working hard while she was away on leave and being paid for doing nothing,” the employee revealed.

BOWEN SPEAKS OUT FROM FREEDOM HOUSE
After receiving her dismissal letter, Bowen visited Freedom House, headquarters of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), where she sought advice on the issue.
She told reporters there that on Friday last, she attended a Town Clerk’s seminar at the Ministry of Communities where she was asked to meet with Permanent Secretary, Emil McGarrell, after she was issued a correspondence from the minister’s secretary.
She said McGarrell wished her well and told her that she cannot be a part of the seminar. She took the opportunity to pack her items and left. Bowen refused to comment on what might have prompted her dismissal, but did say that she is seeking advice.
“I would not say; I have thoughts, I do not want to pre-empt anything, I would not say. At this point I would ask for advice, the necessary advice on the way forward,” the former town clerk said.
According to Bowen, when she was reinstated, she was requested to attend meetings every morning with the mayor with which she complied but last Wednesday, the meeting took a bitter turn when an administrative issue came up for discussion.
“He started raising his voice at me and I said to him Mr Mayor I do not appreciate the condescending language that you are using. He continued to raise his voice and I said Mr Mayor, I am not your child and I do not appreciate the condescending language; he continued and the next thing he said to me is ‘leave my office now!’”
Bowen spoke of some operations of the council being in contravention to the law and claimed that the mayor was getting involved in the administrative aspects of the council; a role mandated to her, according to the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01.
She said this led to several of the workers making both verbal and written complaints about the mayor’s attitude. Those letters were forwarded to the relevant authorities.
“The letters had to do with the way the mayor treated them as women, the way he spoke to them, the way he belittled them, the tone he used…..he was giving instructions to administrative staff and they were not comfortable about it.” Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, opted not to comment on the issue, when contacted by the Guyana Chronicle.
In 2016, a no-confidence motion was presented by the council and passed against Bowen. It was the view of the council that Bowen’s conduct and attitude were stymieing its progress and by extension the town of Linden. An investigative committee was set up to investigate these accusations, while Bowen was sent on administrative leave. The committee’s findings highlighted the fact that the motion was moved in contravention of the law and therefore recommended that Bowen be reinstated to her position.
The committee however in its findings, noted that out of the 10 issues raised by the council which resulted in them having ‘no confidence’ in Bowen, several of these showed that the current temperament and attitude of Bowen in carrying out her functions as chief administrator and advisor of the council was not working in a positive way for the council.
Bowen was appointed on June 28, 2012, by former Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, Norman Whittaker. Her employment became effective on July 3, 2012. Deputy Town Clerk Orleena Ombermulla will now handle the administration of the council.

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