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Termination of senior posts leads to more acting at City Hall – Garnett
GLGOU President, Mr Andrew Garnett
The recent termination of two senior municipal operatives, Town Clerk Beulah Williams and City Treasurer Roderick Edinboro, has served to create a situation where more officers of the council have commenced acting in varying capacities. And this situation must be addressed with much urgency said President of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU), Mr Andrew Garnett.
His comments were made yesterday when a conference held under the auspices of the union got underway at the GLGOU Woolford Avenue Union Hall.
Intended to bring perspective to the way forward for the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC), the day-long forum did not only seek to sensitise and update workers on current issues and challenges but also to develop strategies for an improved and better managed municipality and industrial relations climate this year. The conference, which saw the attendance of senior officers of the council and union executive members, was held under the theme ‘Re-shaping the municipality for better administration, effective and improved service delivery.’
Regarding yesterday’s forum as timely, Garnett said that it is of utmost importance to deliberate on the vital issues that will undoubtedly impact the management and operations of the municipality.
“We are all aware that over the past two years the council has been placed under a microscope of good governance, transparency, and accountability and it has been reported that it has been found wanting.”
And this, according to Garnett, has been evident in the revelations of the Auditor General Report, followed by the Burrowes Commission of Inquiry which has since made comprehensive recommendations that have been accepted by the council and approved by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall.
So significant were the recommendations that it has led to the termination of the two most senior officers of the council, Garnett related. However, the terminations of these individuals have resulted in an even larger list of senior officers who have been acting in their respective positions in excessive of two years.
“We now not only have a Acting Town Clerk and Acting Treasurer but if we go around the council we will find that there are a number of senior officers who have been acting for far too long and we call for this situation to be addressed urgently.”
Yesterday’s forum, Garnett said, presented a splendid opportunity for the critical stakeholders of council to take ownership and to use their knowledge and experience of municipal administration and operations to make a meaningful contribution to the process of change.
Chairman of the Personnel and Training Committee, Oscar Clarke, said that the engagement of the conference was a good idea to have dialogue between the union, management and workers.
The forum, which also saw the attendance of Chairman of the municipality’s implementation Committee, Keith Burrowes, included a panel discussion, which focused on a vision of the Georgetown municipality in 10 years’ time.
Another conference is already in the pipeline, and this will target junior and rank and file workers, as according to Garnett, no one should be excluded from participating in the deliberations on the important issue of restructuring within the council.
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