Latest update January 7th, 2025 4:10 AM
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CJ quashes Royston King’s appointment as Town Clerk
Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday quashed the appointment of Royston King as acting Town Clerk by the Mayor and City Councilors; in the interim that legal cause is shown in support of King being sworn into the office of the Town Clerk.
Council appointed Town Clerk (Ag) Royston King
In legal documentation filed at the High Court on Tuesday by Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Roysdale Forde on behalf of voted-out Town Clerk Carol Sooba, the Mayor is being asked to explain the legal grounds under which King, during an extraordinary meeting of the Council, was appointed and installed to act as the Council’s secretary.
Amidst the numerous orders issued by the Court, several decisions voted on by the Mayor and Councilors have been quashed until the body can show legal cause to support certain decisions that were made.
The Mayor is being asked to show legal reasoning under which the government imposed Town Clerk Carol Sooba should immediately remove herself and cease to act in the capacity as Council secretary.
The Mayor is being ordered to show legal grounds on which a decision was taken to send Sooba on Administrative leave. He is also ordered to show reason why the Court should not prohibit or prevent the decision taken at an Extraordinary Statutory Meeting held on May 8, last, or any other decision whatsoever and whenever to send Sooba on administrative leave.
It was also ordered that cause should be shown why the decision demanding that Sooba cease to perform the functions of Town Clerk should not be quashed and deemed unlawful, ultra vires, irrational, unreasonable, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect.
It was also asked that cause be shown why the Court should not prevent the appointment and installation of King as the Officer to perform the duties of Town Clerk. The Mayor is asked to say why the Court should not restrain or prohibit King from usurping the Office of Town Clerk and or discharging any of the powers, functions and duties of the aforesaid Office of Town Clerk without lawful authority whatsoever.
The matter will be heard again on May 22.
The Mayor and City Councilors last week voted out Carol Sooba as Town Clerk (Ag). Her appointment had been made by former Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud. However a court engagement by King, one of the applicants sidelined when Sooba was chosen as Town Clerk following an interview session, saw the Chief Justice ruling that the Minister had no power to appoint Sooba as Town Clerk.
Government appointed Town Clerk Carol Sooba
But because of the law he said that she was the de facto Town Clerk.
The Mayor and Councilors have long cited disrespect and disobedience from Sooba. They explained that as an “incompetent and unqualified” officer she should be removed. A vote was taken for that to happen.
The Chief Justice has ordered that Sooba remain Town Clerk unless the Council can show cause to support her removal.
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