PPP Councillor suspended from City Council meeting

Nov 26, 2020 News

Councillor Dimitri Ali.

Kaieteur News – A People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor of the Georgetown City Council, Dimitri Ali, was suspended from their statutory meeting on Monday, after an alleged attempt to record the proceedings.
The councillors, as well as the Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, were in a deep discussion when Narine noticed a flash coming from Councillor Ali’s cellphone. The Mayor then inquired if he was recording the meeting and Ali responded by stating he was just “taking some photos.”
The Mayor then highlighted that he would have needed permission to record a session from the Council, adding that even media houses present at the meeting would need to do the same. This he said was clearly outlined in the Council’s regulations and that Ali should be aware of such as a councillor.
Narine later asked Ali to hand over his phone to the Chief Constable, Peter Livingstone and have the “picture” or whatever recording he was taking removed by City Hall’s Information Technology (IT) technician.
The IT technician was not present, but Ali was still mandated to have his phone checked. He refused to have the phone checked and the image/video removed despite constant calls by the Mayor and Councillors. He was also asked to apologize to the Council, but Ali remained adamant.
Their constant calls went on for minutes delaying the proceedings leading to A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) Councillor Heston Bostwick presenting a motion to have him suspended from the rest statutory meeting. His motion was seconded by Councillor Clayton Hinds, followed by a vote from the entire council to which everyone agreed for his removal.
Despite their vote Councillor Ali sat refusing to leave or apologize, but eventually complied and was escorted out of the building. The Council maintained that discipline must always be executed within the council, to which no member is exempt.

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