Chief Justice orders Minister to explain Carol Sooba’s appointment

Dec 14, 2013 News

Local Government Minister Ganga Persuad will have to show cause why Chief Justice Ian Chang should not set aside the controversial confirmation of Carol Sooba to the post of Town Clerk. The Chief Justice granted an Order Nisi yesterday which would be served on the Minister for him to disclose to the court the basis under which the confirmed Town Clerk was chosen.

Chief Justice Ian Chang

The matter was taken to the Supreme Court by Royston King, City Hall’s Public Relations Officer and one of the applicants that took part in the interview sessions. King has applied to have Sooba’s appointment quashed. He is represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes.
King in his affidavit explained his position and disclosed all necessary information about himself regarding this matter. His challenge to Sooba’s appointment has three principal bases; that he (King) had a legitimate expectation, that after abiding by the rules and requirements of the Ministry-convened interview panel, that a legitimate decision would be made in relation to the criteria set.
King contended that the Minister would have established the interview panel; setting out a criterion to identify a most suitable candidate; that that panel would have made certain requests that the applicants would have had to satisfy.
It was further contended that the decision of the minister deviated from that set criteria when Sooba was appointed Town Clerk. King is stating that when the Minister chose Sooba for the post by the powers vested in him, he did not take into consideration the criteria that the interview panel would have set, that the viable applicants would have satisfied rules and regulations and that the recommendations of the interview panel was ignored.
The matter will be back in court on December 23.
The Local Government Ministry, about a month ago, had set up an interview panel to select a suitable

Town Clerk Carol Sooba

person for the post of Town Clerk. Four persons applied including one Paul Clarke, Royston King and the current Town Clerk Carol Sooba.
The panel included Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Local Government Permanent Secretary Collin Croal and Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU) President Dale Beresford among others. The union President and the Deputy Mayor have stated continuously that the panel unanimously recommended Paul Clarke for the post while King was the second most suitable person.
The two were however by passed and Sooba appointed. The Local Government Minister said that Clarke failed to make certain disclosures about a passed job and declared that Sooba was the second most suitable for the post.
King decided to challenge the decision. “I believe the time has come when professionals must be respected and such, matters should be tested in a court of law. It has to do with organizational ethics, legitimate expectations, professional pride and integrity.”
Most city Councilors are against Sooba’s appointment claiming that her presence at City Hall is to stifle their work, progress and responsibility to the city; and that she is acting accordingly. They say she disregards their decisions.