–as ‘disruptive elements’ try but fail to enter compound

TENSION mounted yesterday at City Hall, a heritage building, after persons were barred from entering the compound where a prayer session followed by a meeting was scheduled to be held. 

The situation which erupted yesterday just after 09:00hrs saw scores of persons being debarred from entering the compound by Assistant Superintendant Gordon Langevine and other City Constabulary officers who were merely “acting on orders” of their superiors.
Chief Constable Andrew Foo, who is solely responsible for security at City Hall, in a brief comment related that to the best of his knowledge, a prayer service was scheduled to be held in the morning. He said further that the Constabulary would have received information that it was likely that among the persons who would have gathered, would be some “disruptive elements.”

Foo emphasised that it is against this backdrop that he decided to implement security measures, making it known that the decisions made were free of interference from the Town Clerk (ag) and it was based on the fact that the constabulary had received certain information.
“I’m the person responsible for security at City Hall, so it has nothing to do with Ms Sooba,” Foo said, adding: “It’s based on the fact of what the constabulary has received in terms of information.”
He said that among those slated to attend the service were persons known to be unruly, “…therefore we have our responsibility to safeguard employees and property.”
According to acting Town Clerk, Ms Carol Sooba, who it was, Mayor Hamilton Green said, the one giving orders to the Constabulary, she had heard of yesterday’s plans to mobilise people through some function which was to be held in City Hall’s compound. “I heard they said something about having a meeting or something here at 9:30 today, and I gave no permission for the use of the compound,” Sooba said.

The Town Clerk related that she was not made aware of any event which was to be held at City Hall yesterday, and no permission was sought through her for the hosting of any event. As such, she sought to be responsible in her actions and protect the assets belonging to City Hall by requesting the Constabulary to bar the entrance.
Sooba, in a relaxed tone, disclosed that it is mandatory that the Mayor and Councillors request permission from her, the officer responsible for administration, for the hosting of any event in City Hall’s compound. This was not done, she said, and so no permission was granted to them.

The departments surrounding the area where the ‘meeting’ was scheduled to be held were at risk, Sooba said, adding that revenue is generated in that area. It houses the departments of senior officers, there is the engineer’s department with the processing of plans and the constabulary department which deals with bail issues.
She disclosed that these assets along with others would have been exposed to the multitude and this could have resulted in loss or damage, hence the need for precautionary measures and the constabulary to be engaged in an operational mode.
Contrary to her rationale, Mayor Green, who was booed during his disclosure, said that he does not need permission from the Town Clerk to host anything because he is an “elected Mayor”.
Green, who accused the constabulary officers, targeting particularly Assistant Superintendant Gordon Langevine as being the “worse form of House Slaves” and “foolish”, said that the situation which existed was completely ridiculous and absurd.

He continued on his rampage of insults,once again labelling the Town Clerk (ag) as corrupt, disrespectful and this time accusing her of “stealing millions of dollars” from the Council.
While contending that this was the worst form of democracy existing in any society, Green then asked: “Where is she [Sooba] getting this nonsense power from?” He then proceeded to lambaste the Government for not holding Local Government Elections. “That is why the government don’t want to keep Local Government Elections, and they won’t establish a Local Government Service Commission; they would never appoint an unqualified Local Government official to be Town Clerk, an important position,” the Mayor shouted.
He also threatened: “We’re taking this matter to a higher level to let the people understand what nonsense is going on in Georgetown. We’ve engaged the diplomatic community cause this is unacceptable, it’s madness.”
At this point, supporting councillors had flocked the entrance, as Green demonstrated his bullyism by encouraging a crowd of people to force their way into the compound. One councillor, Eon Andrews stood out and leveled threats at Langevine, noting that he will make it “a personal issue into their everyday lives,” encouraged those outside to force their way in and “they [him and others] will take it from there.”
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green also shared the spotlight, supporting the call made by the Mayor and other councillors for people to force their way into the compound, ignoring legal protocols. She too, being extremely vocal yesterday added to the insults endured by Langevine that he “wants position, but won’t get none.”
Councillor Shirley Shepherd who was warned several times by the constabulary officers to conduct herself in an appropriate manner, also chipped in to encourage persons to force their way into the compound but received no reaction from the crowd. This then led to her rocking the barricade in an attempt to remove it in the presence of several officers who advised her to be careful or she may hurt herself.
Being the lone ranger, she, however, gave up in her attempt and resorted to throwing hints and derogatory remarks at the officers who were obviously not intimidated or interested in her comments.
In the shadow, however, several members of Parliament of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had made their way into the compound as the meeting commenced, hosting several speakers, including shadow minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ronald Bulkan who sought to enlighten citizens on the role of democracy and the hosting of Local Government Elections.