‘Nothing has changed’ with respect to procedure, appointments
–Local Gov’t Minister

LOCAL Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker has given assurance that nothing has changed in the appointment of Town Clerks, as Royston King’s appointment will continue not being recognised by the Local Government Ministry.

Addressing a press conference yesterday at the Locl Government Ministry, the Minister explained that, in keeping with the Chief Justice’s ruling, he has determined that Carol Ryan-Sooba will continue to perform duties as Town Clerk in an acting capacity. He further explained that both City Council PRO Royston King and the Minister of Local Government have appealed the decision of the Chief Justice, and so it is their view that the correct thing to do is to await that decision.

As such, he said, the Ministry is currently engaged in awaiting that decision.

Whittaker said it is quite evident that King and Green are pursuing things differently. He said that notwithstanding the fact that the Chief Justice had ruled that the Town Clerk can remain as the de facto Town Clerk, and that he had acted on the basis of that provision, King, encouraged by the Mayor, proceeded to hold himself out as the acting Town Clerk.

Minister Whittaker supported his claim by producing a public notice placed by King in a newspaper describing himself as the acting Town Clerk. The minister said that the Extraordinary Meeting called by the Mayor late Tuesday was illegal. “I wrote telling him that the meeting he was about to call was illegal,” he said.

Whittaker said he pointed Green to Part One of the Sixth Schedule of the Municipal and District Council Act, which sets out, inter alia, “The Clerk shall be responsible for convening all meetings of the council and its committee, and for the preparations of agenda, minutes and reports of such council and its committee.”

Whittaker explained that he referred to the Chief Justice’s ruling in his letter to Green, reminding him that the acting Town Clerk remains the de facto Town Clerk, and that the Chief Justice had advocated a certain course of legal action required to address the matter.

According to Minister Whittaker, despite his plea to the Mayor, the Extraordinary Meeting was held and King was sworn in to office in an illegal act by the mayor.

In exercising its authority, the Ministry of Local Government proceeded to write the commercial banks, informing them that there had been no change in signatories and that Sooba remained a signatory along with the treasurer.

Minister Whittaker reiterated that the move by King to hold himself out as Town Clerk acting was designed to mislead the public; and he said that it is within the power of the Minister to authorize those who are recommended for the post, and to notify the banks about any changes.

“In fact, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development has been doing this all these decades. Nothing has changed with respect to how the procedural matters and appointments of Town Clerks, Deputy Town Clerks, City Engineer (are made),” he said.

Whittaker posited that it has been made pellucid in the Municipal and District Councils Act Ch 28:01 that until the operation of the Local Government Commission, the function and work of that Commission is undertaken by the Minister. “It is sad that Mr. King…should allow himself to be misled by the Mayor into taking the course of action that he did,” Whittaker said.

Last week, the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown moved to have Public Relations Officer (PRO) Royston King illegally appointed as Town Clerk. Carol Sooba, as de facto acting Town Clerk, according to the Chief Justice’s ruling, was removed from her position, but not by means in keeping with the provisions of the Municipal and District Councils Act Ch 28:01.

(By Ravin Singh)