Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
Rose Hall Town Clerk’s appointment rescinded
Rose Hall Mayor, Jainarine Ramoo
…following intervention of Local Govt.
Commission, the Rose Hall Town Council has withdrawn the appointment of Edward Choy as Town Clerk following concerns over the breach of process raised by the Local Government Commission (LGC), which oversees hiring within the municipalities.
Choy was appointed by Mayor Jainarine Ramoo in March, however the Commission wrote to the Council on April 10th, 2018, instructing that the appointment be rescinded.
The Local Government Commission has been notified by way of letter dated April 30th that, in keeping with the Commission’s instructions, the Rose Hall Town Council has removed Choy.
According to the Commission, approval has been granted for the town’s Clerk of Market to perform the duties of Town Clerk, until such time as a Town Clerk is appointed by the Local Government Commission.
A councillor attached to the Municipality has expressed his displeasure in the manner in which the Mayor, Jainarine Ramoo, has handled the hiring of the Town Clerk.
He stated that “he is not supposed to hire anybody on his own”. He added that the Mayor told the councillors that he contacted the subject minister and also the LGC, but “the APNU/AFC (A Partnership For Change/Alliance) councillors were against his decision to hire”.
There are currently 13 councillors attached to the municipality of Rose Hall, with nine representing the opposition, and four the APNU/AFC coalition.
Ramoo said that with the hiring of the Town Clerk the council acted no different to the Ministry of Communities in relation to “filling urgent vacancies” within the local government system.
Kaieteur News understands that there was an existing vacancy for a Town Clerk at the municipality after Natasha Munroe left, and the vacancy was advertised, to which three candidates applied. Interviews were reportedly conducted and Choy was chosen as the most suitable candidate to fill the vacancy.
The decision struck a legal hurdle.
Under section 13 (2) of the Local Government Commission Act 2013, the Commission shall deal with all matters relating to staffing of local government organs, in particular, shall be responsible for employment, transfer, discipline and dismissal of staff.
The Commission has delegated to the Council and all other local government organs, the authority of recruitment for staff.
However, the Commission reiterates that all local government organs write informing the Commission of such vacancies before engaging in the recruitment procedure and consequent recommendation for appointment by the Local Government Commission.
According to the Commission, the local government organs shall also ensure that an officer of the Commission is present during the shortlisting and interviewing process. The officer is expected to observe the procedure and would not offer any advice or suggestion, unless so directed by the LGC.
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