NO one could tell where the scores of people who gathered around City Hall came from so quickly, but citizens wasted no time in getting in on the juicy ‘tekkups’ surrounding Carol Ryan Sooba who was ousted from her office as Town Clerk yesterday.Cheers and applause greeted Sooba as she made her way out of City Hall; some shouted “we had enough,” “time to go” and “get out the place.” This was minutes after she was asked by Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green to pack up and leave the statutory meeting, or as an alternative, be escorted out by police.

According to Mayor Green, “a well-oiled” machinery is necessary if the council is to successfully work along with the new Administration. This statement preceded his announcement that Sooba will have to proceed on administrative leave and that the person next in line, Ms. Sharon Harry-Munroe, will have to take up the Town Clerk mantle.
The mayor had initially asked that Sooba respect the decision of the council and proceed post-haste so that by the next working day, the assistant town clerk could have assumed those duties.
But Councillor Ranwell Jordan stood up to recommend that Sooba be instructed to leave immediately.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green similarly commented that Sooba should move along so that Harry-Munroe can take up the vacant chair and yesterday’s meeting could have moved forward with an administrative officer in place.
The Deputy Mayor also recommended that Sooba attend to her office and conduct the necessary ‘handing over’, while reminding Sooba that if she fails to cooperate, a female officer of the City Constabulary Department will have to take it from there.
Once approached, Sooba told the female constabulary officers that should they touch her, they would in effect be assaulting her, causing somewhat of a standstill on the officers’ part.
Eventually, though, with encouragement from councillors that they would merely be doing their job if they were to remove her, the officers began to take action. Upon seeing this, Sooba decided to get up on her own and leave the room.

Sooba told the Mayor: “You are out of order,” and reminded him that it was she that he called when he wanted her to disregard the $30M that he owed the council in rates and taxes. “You cannot move the town clerk,” she maintained.
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor Prabhudial Sattan attempted to venture to Sooba’s side arguing that there is currently an order in court on the same issue and that no one can remove Sooba until its determination. “You are breaking the law. You can’t force her to go on leave,” Sattan told the meeting. But his remarks were met with criticism by the majority of those listening.
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Green observed that Sooba did not take leave for quite some time and has no reason why this is the case. He observed that oftentimes, decisions taken by council have been ignored or over-turned and monies were being expended without the knowledge of council, etc.
“This council has determined that this officer should proceed on leave so that a proper investigation could be conducted,” he noted, adding that this would facilitate a process that would move along with alacrity. “We are all fired up. We have seen the light turn to green,” the Mayor said.

Meanwhile, as soon as word got out on the street that Sooba was being “kicked out” of City Hall, scores of persons gathered at the Regent Street entrance to get a glimpse of what was taking place.
Everyone could see Sooba removing her things out of the council vehicle which was assigned to her personally, and being given a ride from an officer of the council. She was heard telling the officers who were escorting her out: “The same hands that feed you?”
She also made several accusations against officers who were gathered around her, reminding them of illegal activities that they were involved in.

By Telesha Ramnarine