City Hall approves pensions for King, Sooba

Mar 03, 2022 News

Former Town Clerk, Royston King

Former Town Clerk, Carol Sooba

Kaieteur News – The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday made a decision to allow former Town Clerks, Royston King and Carol Sooba to be paid their pension, gratuity and other benefits.
The decision came during a statutory meeting of the Georgetown M&CC. During the meeting City Mayor, Ubraj Narine, told the Council that since Local Government Commission (LGC) had approved benefits for former Town Clerk, Carol Sooba, the same must be extended to Royston King. The Mayor stated that “Since the Local Government Commission and Council had approved the benefit of gratuity, pension, etc. to the former Town Clerk, Carol Sooba, I propose to this House that the same courtesy be extended for Mr. Royston King. Both of it must go hand in hand at the same time…It must go hand in hand. It must be approved at the same time and both parties must receive it at the same time.”
King was appointed as Town Clerk for the municipality in 2015 and held the position until January 2019, when he was served with a dismissal letter from the LGC. Prior to the dismissal a Commission of Inquiry CoI into City Hall’s operations unearthed a number of discrepancies which were ascribed to King.
At the CoI held from September 24 to November 30, 2018, and headed by retired Judge Cecil Kennard, King was cited for gross misconduct, abuse of office, recklessness, dishonesty, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds. Among the recommendations made by the CoI was for King to be dismissed. King was sent on administrative leave, and subsequently had his services terminated. However the Former Town Clerk filed an action in the High Court to overturn the decision to fire him.
In a ruling the Court found that the setting up, investigations, findings and recommendations of the CoI were null, void and of no legal effect. As such, Justice Morris-Ramlall held that the LGC had no authority under the law to delegate its investigatory powers to a CoI, which does not form part of the LGC or the local government body.
While the Judge said that the LGC is permitted under the relevant laws to delegate its investigatory powers, such powers have to be assigned to a body within the LGC.
King’s lawyers had described Justice Kennard as a stranger since he is not a member of the Local government Organ, a staff or employee, as outlined in the Local Government Commission Act. The Judge said that the LGC misconstrued itself when it formed the view that Sections 14 and 19 of the Local Government Commission Act and Article 79 of the Constitution of Guyana gave it the power to transfer its investigatory powers to an outside body. Section 14 of the Local Government Commission Act specifically deals with investigations by the commission.

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