Tonsilitis claims put Deputy Mayor in tight spot
–over selective use of microphone

WHEN Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green yesterday refused to use the microphone during Council’s statutory meeting, relating that she has tonsillitis, the Chambers of City Hall once again erupted into a cacophony of confused voices.

Requested by the Mayor to read two bits of correspondence, the Deputy Mayor began her presentation without the use of a microphone, leading Councillor Victor Sobers to request that she use the microphone, since her voice was not audible.

Sobers explained that he is seated some distance away from the Deputy Mayor, and her ingrained habit of constantly turning her back to the Council when making a presentation was exacerbating her inaudibility. He was accordingly requesting that she use the microphone during her presentation.

Chase-Green refused his request with the rejoinder that she was “not a councillor” and Sobers could not “instruct her to do anything”. Then she resumed reading.

This drew Sobers to his feet again, and he demanded that Chase Green use the microphone, since he must be aware of what was transpiring. He said: “I am asking the Deputy Mayor to use the microphone so I can hear her… I will not stop [interjecting] unless she uses a mike.”

The Deputy Mayor again promptly refused, disclosing to the Council that she was suffering from tonsillitis and did not want to contaminate the microphone, since other persons would have to use it.

Someone shouted from across the room “Imaginary tonsillitis!” as Sobers reiterated his request, this time through the authority of the Mayor.

Asked to intervene, Mayor Hamilton Green said that Sobers’s request was not on a point of order, and was actually “out of order”; and Sobers was asked to take his seat, but refused, noting that he would not participate in a meeting where he is unaware of what is happening.

Mayor Hamilton Green then appealed to Councillor Eon Andrews to rise and deliver the presentation on behalf of the Deputy Mayor, which he did.

Later in the statutory meeting, the Deputy Mayor would use the microphone to relate something to the Council, and be roundly criticised from those who had earlier unsuccessfully requested that she use the mike. Chase-Green would even the score with the retort, “I seh I ain’t using the mike! None a dem cyant mek me use it!” as the meeting progressed.

At this point, Sobers was supported by Councillor Parbhodial Sattan, who said that Chase-Green was being selective in how she was using the microphone, and that the Mayor was tolerating that selectivity. Sobers also continued demanding that the Deputy Mayor use the mike to project an attack against the double-standard being encouraged by the Mayor.

“Little black boy go to school” would then be Chase-Green’s comment to Sobers, who later labelled sections of the Council as being racial in their dealings, since he thought they were acting in their self interest and were “chastising” those who opposed them.

Councillor Hector Stoute then stood up to note that: “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. He was hinting at the obvious division of councillors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.

(By Ravin Singh)