Georgetown: Former Public Relations Officer of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Royston King has been named as the new Town Clerk, replacing Carol Sooba, who was sent on leave last week.
According to a release from the Council, on Monday, July 13, the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown at its statutory meeting confirmed that King was the new Town Clerk with effect of Tuesday, June 14.
The post, which was previously held by Carol Sooba, who has been accused of having affiliation with the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, has always been a bone of contention between the two for the last few years.
In 2011, King applied for the position of Town Clerk within the Council. After an interview by the Council, he was recommended by the full membership for the post of Town Clerk on March 28, 2011. However, political opposition prevented the Council from implementing its decision to appoint King. Again on July 24, 2012, he was appointed to the position by the Council. Then on May 6, 2014, King was again appointed and a similar situation born out of a contention between him and Sooba and then Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker led to him being prevented from carrying out his duties and responsibilities.
There was a series of acrimonious exchanges between the Council and Sooba, the then acting Town Clerk. She was booted from the post by the Council at an extraordinary meeting which was held on May 25, following the change in Government after the 2015 General and Regional Elections.
The Georgetown City Council took the decision to send Sooba on 42 days’ administrative leave, but with two days of that leave remaining, Sooba was served with a letter titled “Revocation of Service”.
Signed by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan and dated July 1, 2015, the letter stated: “Please be informed that your appointment as Town Clerk (ag) of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown is hereby revoked.
Therefore, by virtue of the power invested in me at Section 116 (1) of the Municipal and Districts Council’s Act, Chapter 28:01, taken in conjunction with Section 326 (4) of the said Act, your appointment as Town Clerk (ag) is revoked effective from July 7, 2015.”
Sooba has since vowed to challenge the decision, noting that the matter of the position of the Town Clerk was still being heard in the High Court and as such, the letter was unlawful and unwarranted.
King is a Chevening Scholar, with a Masters in Corporate Communication. His thesis crossed disciplines and focused on Corporate Management in the context of New Media Environment. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Leadership, Corporate Governance and Policy at a University in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, King was attached to the Public Management Modernisation Programme as a Consultant. He was also attached to the University of Guyana as a part-time lecturer in the areas of organisational management, and Specialist Writing in Health and Environment.
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