THE Georgetown Mayor and City Council, on Monday, voted to begin making payments to former Town Clerk, Royston King, after receiving a court order to do so.

This decision was made during the council’s statutory meeting, which was held in the upper flat of the Kitty Market.

The matter was raised as the Town Clerk (ag), Vanessa Simon-Browne brought the council’s attention to a letter that was received.

As the letter was being discussed, she noted that she would be sending a correspondence to the Local Government Commission to seek clarity before payments are disbursed. However, this was quickly shut down by Mayor Ubraj Narine, who noted that the instructions to have King receive his benefits came through a court order.

It was then that Councillor Heston Bostwick indicated that some time back, the council had already agreed that King should be paid even as he mentioned that the only deliberation that should be made now is for the council to instruct the town clerk to make the payments available.

To this end, Narine stated, “The court order… I have a copy before me. The court order [is] dated June 3, 2022…[the] application made by Royston King for his gratuity, salaries, and all his benefits, the court gave 24 days to make or to commence payment upon this court order.”

With that, he indicated that the council stands by the ruling of the court and as such said instructions should be followed by the town clerk.

He then put the matter to a vote. The vote was carried as the majority voted to uphold the decision for King to receive his benefits.

Following his dismissal in 2019, King approached the courts to have that decision quashed and for him to be paid his benefits and allowances up until he had reached the age of retirement in early 2020.