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Sooba best suited for Town Clerk, ‘full stop’- Ganga Persaud
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, is unworried even as controversy surrounds the appointment of Carol Sooba as Town Clerk. She was deemed to be unqualified for the position.
During a press conference yesterday, a defensive Persaud argued that the Ministry is satisfied that Sooba is the best suited candidate for the Town Clerk position, with all things being equal “full stop”.
Ganga Persaud
Even with media operatives pressing to find out Sooba’s qualifications and the criteria for the appointment, Persaud remained aggressive and determined not to divulge the relevant information.
The Minister seemingly believed that his diversion strategy was working but it only opened room for more questions and vindication for the Mayor and City Councillors that something grave is amiss with her appointment.
Earlier this week, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that Sooba was appointed Town Clerk. She had been acting in that capacity for the past 16 months. And, the Council is adamant that the move to appoint an “unqualified” Sooba to such a pertinent position is an insult to academically qualified persons and those seeking higher education.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene had said that Sooba’s appointment “comes as a great surprise to a member of the panel that sat to do interviews for the position of Town Clerk and Treasurer.”
“At our interview the requirements for the position of Town Clerk were a Degree in Law, Economics, Urban Planning and Public Management amongst others.” Greene said there were four candidates, two of whom were in line with the requirements.
Mr. Paul Clarke and the Council’s current Public Relations Officer Mr. Royston King were shortlisted, while Mr. Darren Khan and Sooba, “being the least qualified” did not fit the bill.
According to Chase-Greene, with Clarke being the most qualified of the lot, the interview panel recommended that Clarke was the fittest for the post.
However, Minister Persaud was offended with “assumptions” that Sooba is unqualified for the position. He questioned the source that deemed Sooba unqualified and contended that it is improper to say someone is unqualified without providing the evidence.
Nonetheless, he could not have provided evidence of her qualifications and said it is his business, though she would be executing her tasks as a public officer.
Carol Sooba
As a requirement for the position the candidate must have academic qualifications and Sooba is not without that, he added.
Contradicting his comments, a reporter shuffled his memory that Junior Minister of Local Government Norman Whittaker at an earlier press conference had said that Sooba was unqualified for the position.
Apparently, this is not the first time the Ministry has advertised to fill the position of Town Clerk.
It was noted that when the vacancy was first advertised Sooba along with other candidates had applied. But, Whittaker had said none of the candidates were qualified to fill the positions.
Whittaker who was present at the press conference opted to remain silent while Persaud raved that the only thing that changed is that the position ran long enough and the Ministry believes that Sooba is the best suited candidate for the position.
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