Latest update April 4th, 2025 4:16 PM
Royston King challenges dismissal
Former Town Clerk, Royston King, has challenged the Local Government Commission’s decision to dismiss him from duty.
Last January, King was fired by the (LGC) following recommendations made by officials, who conducted a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into operations of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, (M&CC).
King was the centre of major revelations last year in a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (Ret’d) Cecil Kennard. The report calls for officers to be disciplined even as that audit is being conducted.
The senior officers listed included King, who was sent on leave to facilitate the CoI. King is cited for gross misconduct, abuse of office, recklessness, dishonesty, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds.
However, in a move to challenge the dismissal King claims that among other things the Commission violated his right to a hearing and that the Commission has no right to cite him for Gross Misconduct in Public Office since the charge is linked to a criminal offence under the common laws.
He claimed too, that that he was removed from office solely on the basis of the COI but since he is a pensionable employee it is a violation of his rights under the constitution of Guyana.
The former Town Clerk is contending, too, that based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) the Commission stepped outside its boundaries when it moved on the recommended criminal charges.
The challenge is being heard in the High Court by Justice Simone Morris- Ramlall. King is being represented by Attorneys- at-law Maxwell Edwards and Patrice Henry. The Attorney General is named as the legal representative of the LGC.
In his report following the COI, Justice Kennard recommended a detailed forensic audit be done into all transactions between April 1, 2015, and October 31, 2018.
“I have found that there is prima facie evidence to support skullduggery. Moreover, where there is evidence of such activities, criminal and or civil proceedings should commence forthwith,” Kennard outlined.
Royston King
As it relates to King, the CoI report stated that while it is ‘the easiest of recommendation to make’, he should be terminated, and criminal charges should be laid against him in respect of his actions.
The report recommends that the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) and the Guyana Police Force should lead a joint probe to ascertain the relevant criminal charge(s) to be laid.
According to the report, the Town Clerk and other officers including former Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, appeared to have committed the tort of misfeasance and should be dealt with in that context.
The CoI found that documents it received indicated that contracts were awarded to friends and associates of key officials of the Council, such as the son of the Mayor, the son of the Chairman of the Finance sub-committee, the friend of the son of the Mayor, Ingrid and Brian Chase, who were embroiled in a land saga with the Town Clerk, and friends of the Town Clerk and the Mayor.
Further, it also appeared from documents seen by the COI, which were provided by the Acting City Treasurer that the Town Clerk was reckless, in granting leases to several persons far below fair market prices.
In some cases, he rented these lands for no fees to businessmen who can afford.
“This to my mind is a fundamental breach of his duty of care for the Council, particularly given the state of the Council’s finances. This further warrants investigation and I believe the auditors of the State Assets Recovery Agency should be called in to probe further, the issuing of leases and contracts to ascertain whether the Town Clerk and other officers are benefiting from perquisite of office,” the CoI report stated.
Kennard stated that it appears that the Town Clerk has been acting beyond the scope of his Terms of Reference (TOR).
“He seemed to be doing the work of the Treasurer, Engineer and HR Manager,” the report found.
Also listed in the report are Acting Town Clerk, Sharon Harry-Munroe who is cited for dereliction of duty and incompetence; Assistant Town Clerk, Sherry Jerrick for dereliction of duty and incompetence; Internal Auditor, Omodele Umojo-Newton for incompetence and conspiracy; Chief Constable, Andrew Foo for dereliction of duty and incompetence; Human Resources Manager, Paulette Braithwaite for incompetence; City Engineer, Colvern Venture for incompetence and dereliction of duty; and Rashid Kelman for conspiracy.
Further, the report noted that City Treasurer, Ron Mc Calmon, should proceed on early retirement as he is unwell.
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