Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 July 2015, 0:01 by GxMedia
FLASH BACK: Royston King and then acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba
by Zena Henry
Public Relations Officer of the Georgetown Municipality, Royston King was Monday elevated to the position of Town Clerk by the Minister of Communities, despite a thin cloud of administrative uncertainty.
Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan issued a letter of appointment dated Monday July 13 was issued by Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, telling King that he officially takes up the post from Tuesday, July 14, 2015.
“I am pleased to inform you that a recommendation was made by the Mayor and Councillors of the city of Georgetown at the July 13 Statutory meeting for you to be appointed to the post of Town Clerk.
“The Ministry has approved the recommendation proffered and has no objection in appointing you Town Clerk of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown.” Drawing his authority from stated Chapters and Sections of the Municipal and Districts Council Act, the appointment was made.
When Demerara Waves spoke with Minister Bulkan earlier Monday he said he was in receipt of a recommendation and Council’s decision for King to hold the post.
However, during Statutory meeting held in the afternoon hours the matter of King being Town Clerk had come up and at least one Councillor recommended that the post be advertised and persons go through another interview process so King’s appointment would not repeat the imposition like that of Carol Sooba.
Councillor Gladston George had put forward Public Service Commission rules to make his point.
However King had always been the Council’s choice since Sooba started to operate against their wishes. An interview panel was constituted for the Town Clerk post and even though Sooba had no qualifications she was chosen by the former Local Government Minister Norman Whitaker as the fittest person for the job. King was the second choice since the most qualified person had not been appointed at the time of the political tug-o-war.
The law states that the Minister can make the appointment of King based on the Council’s recommendation, especially since the Local Government Commission was never set up which also deals with appointments.
The Town Clerk is the City’s CEO and has authority over the administration of the city.
Even though there was no vote among Councillors on Monday, King’s appointment reaffirmed the Council’s position on who they want to be Town Clerk since except for George, the majority of Councilors had no problem with the appointment.