…LGC grants him extension to reply to misconduct charges

GEORGETOWN Mayor and City Council (MCC) Town Clerk Royston King appeared before the Local Government Commission (LGC) last Friday, requested, and was granted more time to respond to the charges of misconduct brought against him.

Additionally, the commission has also confirmed that it contacted the other officers against whom disciplinary action was also recommended in the City Hall Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report; those officers are said to have also requested more time. A two-week extension was subsequently granted by the LGC. King is now expected to return before the LGC on January 25. King and another officer are expected to defend themselves against the charges.

“Mr. King appeared last Friday and he asked for some more time to respond to the charges, which we granted him. Some officers came and asked for more time and we granted them some more days in the interest of natural justice. After doing the interview, we will take a decision then,” LGC Chairman Mortimer Mingo confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the LGC is expected to look into other recommendations contained in the report, including the call for a forensic audit and criminal investigations. Mingo confirmed that the Audit Office and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have both been written to. “We have already done that. They have acknowledged receipt and the [Audit Office] said that they will contact us shortly to work out the details of the audit,” Mingo informed the Chronicle.

The LGC on Monday also issued a press statement addressing the situation. “The Local Government Commission continues to pursue the clearest possible resolution of the several findings and recommendations that have emerged from the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the administration, operation and management of the financial affairs of the mayor and councillors of the City of Georgetown. The CoI has submitted its report with several recommendations, and the Local Government Commission has deliberated on and taken decisions to ensure that these recommendations are dealt with, whilst ensuring that established good industrial relations principles are adhered to during the conduct of this proceeding,” the statement said.

“At the statutory meeting of the commission on December 20th, 2018, it was decided that in keeping with the rules of natural justice, letters be sent to several officers outlining the findings of the CoI against them, requesting that they respond in writing to these findings and attend meetings organised by the commission to address these responses, whilst being given an opportunity to be heard… the commission will meet with these officers and deliberate on the responses before any action is taken.”

The LGC had ordered the CoI into operations of the M&CC last year September, after having received numerous complaints against the municipality, several of which focused directly on the actions of King. King was sent on administrative leave from September 21 to facilitate investigations.

The CoI held public hearings from September 24 to November 2, 2018, and a report was submitted on November 30. Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard presided as the chairman and sole commissioner of the CoI.

The report contained some 31 recommendations, including the call for a forensic audit, criminal charges and disciplinary action against King, as well as against seven other officers of City Hall for various infractions ranging from dereliction of duty and incompetence to conspiracy.

It was advised that substantive City Treasurer Ron Mc Calmon proceed on retirement since he is unwell and has been on leave for a long period.