.jpg)
THE MAJORITY of councillors who turned up at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council’s (M&CC) statutory meeting last Monday voted in favour of a motion that expressed no-confidence in Town Clerk, Carol Sooba. Sooba is however contending that the motion was moved because councillors could not get their way with certain interests, such as with pensions and gratuity that they had included in the budget for $15M.
The motion was moved by Councillor Monica Thomas and seconded by Councillor Gregory Fraser, and it saw 14 persons voting in favour, with five voting against. There was one abstention, and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green presided over the meeting.
The motion stated that the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development installed Sooba as Town Clerk last July 24 without the appropriate qualifications to act in this position.
Since her appointment, it said, Sooba has shown that she lacks training, knowledge, competences, professionalism, and human relations’ skills. It added that Council received numerous complaints about Sooba’s unprofessional behaviour which has been affecting relationships within the municipality.
According to the motion, the Town Clerk has been attempting to usurp the authority of the Council by dealing with policy matters that should be processed by the Council through its committees and statutory meetings.
The motion continued that Sooba’s unprofessional behaviour has placed the Council in an embarrassing position because it is unable to deliver on its statutory mandate.
The Council can no longer accept this “untenable” situation which is affecting its relationship with stakeholders and eroding public trust and confidence.
Sooba, who was present at the meeting, was advised by the Council to write to the Local Government Minister on the matter of the motion within 48 hours.
However, when contacted yesterday, Sooba told the Chronicle that she will write to the minister when she gets a chance to, because she was busy signing cheques for workers to receive their salaries.
She is contending that the councillors who moved the motion are not aware of their role and that they have certain interests that she cannot satisfy.
According to her, many of them who requested pensions and gratuity in the budget are upset that she took these out of it. There is no provision for these in the law, she expressed. “Whatever goes into the budget must have legality. I can’t take the tax payers money and give it to them.”
Apart from pensions and gratuity, for which the councillors had set aside $15M in the budget, Sooba said there are many more similar interests that she has refused to grant.
“I’m not a town clerk that would compromise and break any law. I can’t budge. All of them want something out of this poor Town Clerk,” she offered.
Sooba said the money that goes into the Council has to cover so many other important things, like garbage disposal and cleaning of the streets.
When contacted, Local Government Minister, Ganga Persaud said he was unaware of the motion and is awaiting something in writing so as to be properly informed. Minister within the Ministry, Norman Whittaker could not be reached for comment.
The motion was moved by Councillor Monica Thomas and seconded by Councillor Gregory Fraser, and it saw 14 persons voting in favour, with five voting against. There was one abstention, and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green presided over the meeting.
The motion stated that the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development installed Sooba as Town Clerk last July 24 without the appropriate qualifications to act in this position.
Since her appointment, it said, Sooba has shown that she lacks training, knowledge, competences, professionalism, and human relations’ skills. It added that Council received numerous complaints about Sooba’s unprofessional behaviour which has been affecting relationships within the municipality.
According to the motion, the Town Clerk has been attempting to usurp the authority of the Council by dealing with policy matters that should be processed by the Council through its committees and statutory meetings.
The motion continued that Sooba’s unprofessional behaviour has placed the Council in an embarrassing position because it is unable to deliver on its statutory mandate.
The Council can no longer accept this “untenable” situation which is affecting its relationship with stakeholders and eroding public trust and confidence.
Sooba, who was present at the meeting, was advised by the Council to write to the Local Government Minister on the matter of the motion within 48 hours.
However, when contacted yesterday, Sooba told the Chronicle that she will write to the minister when she gets a chance to, because she was busy signing cheques for workers to receive their salaries.
She is contending that the councillors who moved the motion are not aware of their role and that they have certain interests that she cannot satisfy.
According to her, many of them who requested pensions and gratuity in the budget are upset that she took these out of it. There is no provision for these in the law, she expressed. “Whatever goes into the budget must have legality. I can’t take the tax payers money and give it to them.”
Apart from pensions and gratuity, for which the councillors had set aside $15M in the budget, Sooba said there are many more similar interests that she has refused to grant.
“I’m not a town clerk that would compromise and break any law. I can’t budge. All of them want something out of this poor Town Clerk,” she offered.
Sooba said the money that goes into the Council has to cover so many other important things, like garbage disposal and cleaning of the streets.
When contacted, Local Government Minister, Ganga Persaud said he was unaware of the motion and is awaiting something in writing so as to be properly informed. Minister within the Ministry, Norman Whittaker could not be reached for comment.
