No confidence motion fails to remove City Mayor

Apr 27, 2011 News

After more than three hours of intense debating during the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown’s statutory meeting, a no-confidence motion against City Mayor Hamilton Green failed to have the Chief Citizen removed from his authoritative position.
In fact, the arguments in support of the motion were yesterday regarded by the Mayor as “mischievous, infantile, without basis and a personal vendetta”.
“I have nothing to hide; I try my best in the circumstances,” said Mayor Green in his own defence having listened to the debates which were presented by Councillor Patricia Chase-Green, Junior Garret, Llewellyn John, Ranwell Jordan and Gwen McGowan, all of whom were party to the no-confidence motion.
The motion spawned from the Mayor’s failure to enforce an injunction, two statutory meetings ago, which was filed in the High Court before Justice Diana Insanally. The injunction ordered that the then acting Town-Clerk Yonette Pluck-Cort show just cause why she should not be removed from the position of Town Clerk.
Pluck-Cort has since been confirmed to the position by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall, under whose purview the municipality falls.
The motion was tabled by Councillor Patricia Chase-Green who pointed out yesterday that not only has the Mayor been occupying the office in excess of the stipulated consecutive five years due to the absence of internal Local Government Elections on a yearly basis, but he has also persisted to allow Pluck-Cort to carry out the duties of Town Clerk, contrary to the wishes of the Council. She revealed too that while the Minister has used his power to appoint Pluck-Cort to the position of Town Clerk, he has failed to utilise his power to call internal elections for Mayor and Deputy Mayor as is required by law.
In addition to listing a number of issues of concern which she said occurred under Mayor Green’s watch, Chase-Green expressed her conviction that the time has come where there should be a change, and new leadership should take up the reins of the City Council. This, she added, is in fact crucial for the betterment of the Council.
She highlighted an incident whereby Council lost some $7M which was among $9M that was set aside by Council for the procurement of uniforms; only $2M worth of items was actually acquired.
And then there was another issue which saw the disappearance of ammunition which had prompted an investigation, and which was subsequently halted. Chase-Green also disclosed that there was an occurrence whereby bail money had been borrowed but was however repaid and a number of illegal constructions were permitted under the tenure of Mayor Green.
“As you go about the city some persons are allowed to do as they very well please when it comes to construction…”
Councillors in support of the motion also vocalised their belief that the Mayor had over the years practiced favouritism; had persons unjustly terminated and even had persons strategically placed into positions. All of the accusations were categorically deemed unfounded by the Mayor.
According to Chase-Green “we have resolved that this Council has no further confidence in Hamilton Green carrying out the functions of Mayor of the City of Georgetown.” However, Deputy Mayor Robert Williams, who was also initially in support of the motion, yesterday urged that the motion be amended. He, like Councillors Hector Stoute and Oscar Clark, was of the opinion that the problem within the council did not lie with the Mayor alone, but rather represents a problem with the system, thus the motion is ill-timed.
However, after a vote the Ayes came from no more than six Councillors while the Nays reigned supreme ensuring that the Mayor remained firmly in his chair.

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No confidence motion fails to remove City Mayor

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