Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 15, 2011 News
Disregarding an injunction granted by Justice Diana Insanally last week to have Yonette Pluck-Cort vacate the office of Town Clerk, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall, yesterday installed her as substantive Town Clerk of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown.
At a press briefing, the Minister revealed that as of 09:00 hours yesterday Pluck-Cort was appointed, effectively making null and void all other applicants, inclusive of Royston King, who was selected at the level of Council to fill the position.
The Minister also revealed that a motion has since been moved by councillors to remove Hamilton Green from the office of Mayor since they are of the opinion that he was not carrying out the wishes of the council by allowing Pluck-Cort to carry out the duties of the Town Clerk.
Although the Minister seems to have a problem with Council’s selection of King as Town Clerk, he disclosed yesterday that he had no problem with no-confidence motion against the Mayor.
“….Following the submission to the Minister of names of several applicants for the position of Town Clerk of Georgetown and taking into consideration the requirements in the advertisement, therefore, it is noted that the application submitted by Yonette Pluck-Cort conforms more closely with those requirements, and taken together with her experience as substantive Deputy Town Clerk, and the years she acted as Town Clerk, indicates that she is the best applicant for the post of Town Clerk…and it is the order of the Minister that Yonette Pluck-Cort is appointed Town Clerk of the municipality and city of Georgetown,” Lall announced.
It was revealed at a recent statutory meeting that although Pluck-Cort had applied for the position of Town Clerk which was advertised in the press, she had not attended an interview.
It was following consideration of the applicants that were interviewed that King was selected by the council as the most suitable person for the position.
Councillor Ranwell Jordan had moved the motion for King to be appointed in the position pending confirmation by Minister Lall. However the Minister at a subsequent press briefing had insisted that the Council’s decision was “null and void.” It was against this background that Councillors Jordan and Gwen McGowan had opted to secure an injunction to have Pluck-Cort removed and King take up the position of Town Clerk.
But according to Lall yesterday, the recent injunction by the Judge did not prohibit or restrain Pluck-Cort from carrying out her duties, but merely commanded her to respond to the motion that was filed.
Lall said the fracas at City Hall has been going on for quite awhile and it appears to have a political undertone, which is overspilling into the administration of the council.
“I intend to remove that difficulty…Section 3321 of the Municipal District Council Act states, (1) if at any time any difficulty arises in the application of this Act or in bringing into operation any of the provisions, the Minister may by order make any provision that appears to him necessary or expedient for removing that difficulty.”
Adding that it may not bring the politicking to an end, Lall said the matter of the appointment of the Town Clerk has been outstanding for some time.
He noted too that he had received several applications for the position of Town Clerk, adding that he had chosen to withhold the final decision because Keith Burrowes, who heads the Municipal Implementation Committee, has been asked to deal with some of the more serious recommendations, including the reformatting of the council’s budget, which has been completed.
He noted that the council also placed advertisements out for applications and “went ahead in their own way to appoint and install Royston King, knowing that the final decision lies with the Minister for approval, which is in the provision of the law.
He said too that “King went ahead and gained the opinion from a law firm on the issue of the appointment, however, that is not a judgment. Unfortunately King who is a Local Government officer has joined the political clique that is trying to force upon the Minister and force upon the council a Town Clerk.
He is a local government officer and he ought not to be getting involved in whatever politics is being played out at the council level…A local government officer is to stay aloof and wait for matters to come to a finality before they act.”
“…If Mr Royston King has attempted to usurp the authority of the Town Clerk… an investigation has been launched and I have asked Mr Burrowes to do that investigation…and if in fact Mr King did usurp the powers of the commission I am going to have him fired.”
Adding that he is surprised and takes umbrage of the law firm Hughes, Field and Stoby in the dispute, Minister Lall said that the law firm cannot make an opinion on a legal document and believe that their opinion is the judgment.
However, Jordan in an invited comment last evening said that the Council will not be taking the decision by the Minister to appoint Pluck-Cort lightly.
He pointed out that it was in fact the Minister who had granted the Council permission to advertise for the position in the first place.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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