THERE is never a dull moment at the statutory meetings of City Hall, and Monday’s, as usual, lived up to that expectation.

Outraged by mention of her name in what Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green called “criminal matters”, acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba not only questioned the Mayor’s mental health, but also declared that he “ought to be in jail by now!”

Sooba told this publication that Green is somewhat shady in accusing her of being engaged in “criminal” acts, since she has uncovered acts of corruption that occurred under Green’s mayoralty, including misappropriation of lands, abuse of resources, and breaking laws relating to local government legislation.

Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, had asked during previous statutory meetings that four matters be investigated which he perceived to be the fault of the administration, of which Carol Sooba is the head. Those matters included, but were not limited to, a $2.6M pension cheque signed off to a pensioner who is believed to be dead. Green, acting on advice of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, requested the City Constabulary to investigate the matters.

Sooba was not the only target of the Mayor’s request; a similar request was made for an investigation into Sooba’s bodyguard, Shawn Hinds, for what Green said was an “alleged assault” on a reporter.

“It has to be that you are senile, because you can’t be at this public forum to say that the Town Clerk committed an act and you cannot say that my bodyguard committed a criminal act [and] that he assaulted somebody, too,” Sooba shouted as City Councillors were hushed by the proceedings.

An angry Sooba expressed concern that the Mayor was straying from the agenda set before him. The back-and-forth exchange with Councillors seemed to bear little fruit. Discouraged by the proceedings, operatives from various media houses left the meeting some hour and a half after it commenced, with half of the agenda not yet completed.

In a telephone interview with Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba yesterday, it was confirmed that the meeting went after 1700 hours (5pm), but none of the agreed agenda items could be reported on since the meeting was railroaded by the Mayor’s delaying tactics.

Following departure of the media, the City Councillors attempted to pass a Motion of No Confidence against Sooba, a move which was attempted previously but was rejected by Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker and a court decision from Chief Justice (Ag) Ian Chang.

Commenting on the motion, the acting Town Clerk said it has no basis, and was purely manufactured by the mayor. “This thing is to belittle the Town Clerk… harass and belittle me at every meeting,” she said.

Sooba expressed concern that, at that very meeting, City Councillor Kamla Devi Ross accussed her of being favoured by the ruling People’s Progressive Party. Devi Ross, a PPP Councillor, delivered a shocking blow when she said she regretted endorsing Sooba’s appointment; but Sooba debunked those allegations, saying: “I am not a member of any political party!”

Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green had, in early 2014, attempted to flout the law when he sought to appoint Public Relations Officer Royston King to the position of Town Clerk, a position which can only be filled by an appointee who is approved by the Local Government Minister according to the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01.

During the Easter holiday of that year, Green was also accused of using his bodyguard and City Hall’s vehicle to assault officers from the revenue collection division of the City Council, who were carrying out their duties at the time.

(By Derwayne Wills)