Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
G/Town Mayor and City Councillors’ allowances restored following legal advice
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green
The Georgetown Mayor and City Council,(M&CC) has premised its decision to restore the allowances of Councillors on legal advice which was sought by the Council in wake of pay cuts imposed by former Town Clerk (Ag), Carol Sooba.
Over a period Sooba, City Councillors had faced with the dilemma of their travel allowances and duty allowances being cut by the Town Clerk (Ag).
The Council had condemned the move as absurd with Mayor Hamilton Green describing the cut of Councillors’ money as, “illegal and improper.”
Following legal advice a decision was taken on Monday to have the funds cut from Councillor’s pay checks restored.
According to the Council, the legal advice which was sought after, had once more established that Sooba had no authority to cut the allowances of Councillors.
It was noted that the advice was based on an applicable section of the Municipal and District Councils Act which states that payments should be made for expenses incurred during the execution of a Councillor’s duty.
Several months before, the situation regarding the Councillor’s allowance was brought to the Mayor’s attention by reporters.
It was pointed out that former Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Norman Whittaker, had instructed the Town Clerk to deduct monies from the Councillors who are absent from Council meetings. The Mayor expressed disgust because, he said, the move to cut the Councillor’s money was not indicated to him. He noted that the action was a breach of procedure and protocol.
Mayor Green said he is disappointed that the Minister would even admit to the cutting of Councillors’ allowances without the protocol of writing him to inform him about what will be done.
The Council had also cited Ch 28:01 of the Municipal Act which says that the Local Government Minister agrees to the money allocated to Councillors. Nowhere in that Act, they said, is there mention of the Minister or the Town Clerk having power to cut Councillors’ allowances especially under the aforementioned circumstances.
Last Monday, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene quoted the Municipal and District Councils Act.
The Deputy Mayor said that the City Council may, in each year, with the approval of the Minister, appropriate out of the funds of the Council, a sum to utilise for the remuneration of Councillors other than travelling and subsistence expenses incurred in the course of duty and may, with such approval, determine what sum shall be payable to each Councillor.
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