— Duncan withdraws; Jaikaran new deputy mayor

FOLLOWING the re-election of Mrs. Patricia Chase-Green as mayor, and the election of Councillor Lionel Hanoman Jaikaran as deputy mayor, Councillor Welton Clarke said he is hoping that their “impeccable” styles of dressing yesterday is an indication of how their performance will be in 2017.Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan pulled out of the race against Chase-Green merely hours before the elections, and after Chase-Green was nominated by Councillor Gregory Fraser and seconded by Oscar Clarke, nominations were closed for the position of mayor.

Chase-Green was then escorted to sit at the helm of the horse-shoe table in order to preside over the elections of the deputy mayor.

Councillor Malcolm Ferreira nominated Councillor Carolyn Caesar; Councillor Phillip Smith nominated Lionel Jaikarran; and Councillor Selwyn Smartt nominated Malcolm Ferreira.

Councillor Alfred Mentore declined the nomination by Councillor Carlyle Goring.

Three councillors voted for Caesar, 17 against and eight abstained; 24 voted for Jaikaran, nine against him, and four abstained; while three voted for Ferreira, 14 against him and 11 abstained.

Councillor Jaikaran, who represents Constituency One (Kingston/Queenstown), was then escorted to sit at the right of the mayor, while Duncan in turn took Jaikaran’s chair.

However, Duncan will remain in his capacity as deputy mayor until March 31, 2017, at which point Jaikaran will assume office. Although this came as a “shock” to Duncan, Town Clerk Royston King noted that this was in keeping with the Municipal and District Council’s Act, Chapter 28:01.

“The persons who would be elected mayor and deputy mayor today would be mayor-elect and deputy mayor-elect because the term of office of the incumbent mayor and deputy mayor have not expired. That term will expire on March 31, 2017, and according to the law, the time is one year; and according to the interpretation of the law, one year in the law means 12 months,” King stated.

Therefore, the terms of office of Chase-Green and Duncan have not expired as yet.

The methodology of voting used for the elections at City Hall was a show of hands after 21 councillors voted in favour of this and seven voted against.

The other proposal by Councillors Carlyle Goring and Khame Sharma was a secret ballot for which seven councilors voted for, 20 voted against, and two abstained.

“I will not let you down. I will be the same person I was yesterday that I will be on March 31, 2017. I’m not a politician and I’m not a magician. Things will not change overnight with me. I will still be to the same issues and the same guns that I had yesterday,” the new deputy mayor said.

Meanwhile, Duncan said he was forced to withdraw his candidacy for mayor because of “ministerial intervention” in the process.

He said it was his belief that councillors have been coerced to give their support in a particular direction to maintain the status quo; undermining the democratic process.

“This and the use of municipal resources to campaign for the incumbent does not auger well for our local democracy, and presents an unleveled playing field; a selection of mayor and not an election. These factors have caused me to reevaluate my candidacy for mayor. I therefore withdraw my candidacy for Mayor of Georgetown,” Duncan said.

He further noted that he will not be contending for the deputy mayorship “as this position requires someone more in tuned with the incumbent mayor’s thinking and work ethic”.

“Serving the municipality of Georgetown as deputy mayor has been a rewarding experience for me and an education. I have enjoyed the support of councillors across the political divide, the Coalition Government’s confidence, (the Government continues to have my unswerving support) and I am humbled by the support of the residents of the municipality of Georgetown.”