…appointment decision unanimous – LGC Chairman
The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has locked horns with the Local Government Commission, deciding that it will not to recognise the new acting Town Clerk, Candace Nelson – who was appointed to serve in that capacity by the constitutional body.
Mayor Ubraj Narine called a press conference on Tuesday, where he told the media, “We as Councillors reject and will not respect Candace Nelson as the interim Town Clerk.”
Nelson was appointed last week by the Commission, and Sherry Jerrick who served as Town Clerk was reverted to her previous position. Chairman of the Local Government Commission, Julius Faerber pointed out in a subsequent briefing that the decision to remove Jerrick was a unanimous one.
“That decision was unanimously voted in favour of and when I said unanimously, there were seven commissioners who were present at that time and all seven of them voted in favour of having Ms Jerrick return to her substantive position. That was the situation that occurred,” he said at Tuesday’s press conference.
Candace Nelson
Thereafter, an internal meeting was facilitated and a few persons were considered for the position. While the Mayor also contended that Nelson was selectively appointed, Faerber condemned this position. In fact, he noted that she was chosen to act as Town Clerk under the circumstances that she was previously recommended by the Council and held that position before.
It was added that such a substantial could not be left vacant. While the Chairman would have applied his powers to appoint her, this decision will be ratified by the Commission at the end of August.
“I do have that authority. As Chairman of the Commission, I would normally make decisions between meetings and at the statutory meeting, I would ratify that decision,” Faerber added.
Moreover, while Mayor Narine claimed that the LGC Chairman is refusing to meet with him, Faerber clarified that the matter is before the courts and it would be a case of subjudice.
“We’re all aware that the Council took a decision to have the matter addressed in the court and so I wrote the Mayor telling him that because the matter is in the court, it would be subjudice of me to have a meeting with him to discuss the matter with the Town Clerk. I hear the Mayor saying that the Chairman is refusing to have a meeting with him but if the matter is in court, then we cannot discuss that matter.”
The Chairman has expressed concerns over these recent developments and met with the acting Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk and acting Chief Constable on Tuesday morning.
“We had written the appointment letter to Ms Nelson, giving a copy to the Mayor letting him know that Ms Nelson would have been acting. He refused to see Ms Nelson and then he called the staff to let them know that Ms Jerrick will continue to act and they must disregard Ms Nelson.”
In his letter of appointment seen by this publication, Faerber had pointed out that this decision is in keeping with the authority vested to the Local Government Commission under Sections 13 and 12 of the Local Government Commission Act.
