PUBLIC Relations Officer (PRO) of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Royston King has been appointed Town Clerk, with effect from yesterday. During their Statutory Meeting held on Monday, the Mayor and City Council confirmed King’s appointment.
With 25 years of service to the Council under his belt, he was first employed as an Environmental Health Officer with the Council’s Public Health Department. King subsequently moved up to the post of Press Officer and PRO.
He was recommended by the full Council for the post of Town Clerk on March 28, 2011, following his application for the position.

Circumstances did not favour him, however, and the Council’s decision to have him in that capacity was struck down. Again, on July 24, 2012, he was appointed to the position by the Council, but the same result manifested. Then on May 6, 2014, King was appointed and a similar situation occurred and he was prevented from carrying out his duties and responsibilities.
During an invited comment, a high-spirited King expressed how “respected and valued” he felt through the Council’s decision, and how “humbled and honoured” he is to serve the residents of Georgetown in such a capacity.
However, King switched gears and soon detailed the massive plans he has to overhaul Georgetown and restore its Garden City acclaim.
According to the newly-appointed Town Clerk, his primary goal is to serve the people of Georgetown while providing the citizens with a safe, clean, environmentally friendly and economically viable environment.
In a two-phase plan, King revealed that an internal integration mechanism will be established which will seek to integrate all departments functioning within the purview of City Hall. He explained that all departments will be “reorganised and retooled” in an effort to provide quality services to the citizens, through these interdependent bodies.
Even at this time, he disclosed, an internal audit unit has been established, which will examine risk assessment and management structures within City Hall. This, King said, will provide for greater accountability and transparency as they seek to execute their mandated duties.
Secondly, the adaptation to external dynamics enveloping the wider society will also be an issue which he will seek to address as Town Clerk. King stressed that City Hall must be brought to a place where, “it can adequately respond to the challenges facing the citizens.”
Confident, however, the Town Clerk assured that he has an “unbeatable” team which is capable of achieving the objectives.
“We will be looking to build strong and durable relationships with all stakeholders to advance the development of this city,” King noted, while adding that they too have a duty to play in ensuring that Georgetown is revamped and preserved.
Looking to the future with great optimism, he said that these stakeholders include citizens, City Hall, the Ministries of Communities and Public Infrastructure and the Government of Guyana.
Additionally, he revealed that a meeting between City Hall and the Public Infrastructure Ministry is scheduled to be held shortly to address the conditions at the Stabroek Market Wharf and provide an interim arrangement for the relocation of vendors currently operating at there.
Referring to the ongoing clean-up programme, the Town Clerk disclosed that a maintenance programme will be established to preserve the efforts of thousands of Guyanese to restore a clean country. He explained that persons will form a core team from within communities which will be responsible for ensuring that this effort is maintained.
King also plans to establish a Municipal Training Academy, which will offer training to all officers through the Human Resource Department of City Hall. This, he said, will aid in alleviating the lack of professionalism and build stronger departmental arrangements within the institution.
“We’ve had several meetings with various staff so far and they are very upbeat and willing to further develop this city,” King assured this publication yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recently instructed the police to withdraw criminal proceedings that were made out against King after he was arraigned on a forgery charge. This was based on the allegation that he wrote a letter purporting that he was the acting Town Clerk, when he was not appointed in that capacity to so act.
King is a Chevening Scholar, with a MA in Corporate Communication. His thesis crossed disciplines, and focused on Corporate Management in the context of New Media Environment.
He is currently pursuing a PhD. in Leadership, Corporate Governance and Policy at a University in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, Mr. King was attached to the Public Management Modernization Programme as a Consultant. He was also attached to the University of Guyana (UG) as a part-time lecture in the areas of organizational management, and specialist writing in health and environment.

 
By Ravin Singh

CAPTION: Photo saved in graphics as: King