Georgetown M&CC without legal officer for three years

Apr 03, 2019 News

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council, (M&CC) is yet to hire an officer to perform legal duties on behalf of the council three years after the post was left vacant by former acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba.
Town Clerk (Ag) Sharon Harry-Munroe, told the media that the matter is still up for consideration.
She noted that the Council is still clearing up financial matters before tending to the issue of employing another legal officer.
The position of legal officer was last held by Sooba who was subsequently appointed Town Clerk.
She was sent on administrative leave to facilitate an investigation into alleged misappropriation of the Council’s funds, some of which included waiving of $27 million in interest for a property in Georgetown without the knowledge and fiat of the duly elected Mayor and City Council; the payment of fees to an Attorney in excess of $1 million, for extraneous matters, not approved by Council.
Sooba’s initial appointment as Town Clerk had been fiercely objected to, with critics claiming that she was not qualified for the position.
She had been accused of being placed within the Council by the then ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to hinder the city administration.
Sooba’s appointment was revoked by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, shortly after the Coalition administration came to office in 2015.
She had challenged the decision to dismiss her before the recently held Commission of Inquiry, (COI) into City Hall.
Sooba provided a written statement to the CoI and claimed that her employment was wrongfully terminated.
She also claimed that she should be paid her full benefits and paid until she attains the age of 55, as the Council and Minister made a fatal mistake when they revoked her appointment as Town Clerk.
She contended that if the Minister revoked her appointment as Town Clerk, at least she should have stated reasons for the revocation of the appointment.
The CoI report stated that having considered the averments contained in the written submission of Sooba, the only rational and logical conclusion arrived at is that she should have resumed duties as the Legal Officer of the Council.

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