Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan has taken a decision to revoke the appointment of embattled Linden Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen, effective March 23, 2017.
A letter from the Communities Ministry on Thursday stated that the Minister in his deliberative judgment had taken a decision to revoke Bowen’s appointment, effective immediately. No reason was stated in the letter. “Bowen was served with a letter of revocation which cites Sections 118 (1) and 326 (4) of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01.”
She was appointed on June 28, 2012 by former Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Norman Whittaker. Her employment became effective on July 3, 2012.
The Communities Ministry wishes to “thank Ms Bowen for her service and wish her the best in her future endeavours”, the brief letter stated.
When contacted by this publication on Thursday, Bowen would only say that she would be seeking advice on the way forward.
A copy of the letter which was served to Bowen by the Ministry was seen by this publication. Apart from the revocation order, it stated that Bowen was further informed to make arrangements for an orderly and accurate hand-over of all assets, keys and documents pertaining to the administration and the Council to the Deputy Town Clerk of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC).
Following months of being on administrative leave, Bowen had resumed duties within the municipality on March 1. Councillors of the municipality had passed a no-confidence motion against her on July 27, 2016 and she was sent on administrative leave in October, following a Commission of Inquiry into alleged wrongdoings within the Council. Through her lawyer, Bowen had challenged Mayor Carwyn Holland’s authority to send her on administrative leave.
Ronald Bulkan
The Commission of Inquiry, which later released its findings, had found that the motion brought against the Town Clerk was “in contravention with the procedures set out in Section 8 of Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Councils Act of the Laws of Guyana and was also in contravention of the Standing Order rules under Section 9.
Permanent Secretary (PS) within the Ministry of Communities Emil McGarrell had written to the Council in a letter dated January 26, 2017 advising that Bowen be reinstated. McGarrell noted in the letter that arising from the findings of the Inquiry, the Ministry was not in a position to endorse the no-confidence motion as it currently stood, owing to its procedural irregularities.
Resumption of duties
He further advised that Bowen should be called upon to resume her functions as Town Clerk forthwith, and should the Council find that there is a continued lack of confidence in the Town Clerk’s performance thereafter, that it should take the necessary steps to familiarise itself with the proper procedure to be followed for making a no-confidence motion and proceed accordingly.
This newspaper understands that the decision to reinstate Bowen did not find favour with some Councillors of the municipality. Nevertheless, the Council made a decision that she would resume duties on March 1 to facilitate a smooth transition. Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Chairman Renis Morian had accused the PS of creating confusion in the Region with regard to the decision, and had indicated that he would write to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon regarding the issue.
Bowen had released a press statement in relation to the entire ordeal, mere hours before her revocation, in which she stated, among other things, that there were procedural irregularities with reference to the “No Confidence Motion”.
“The majority of the allegations put forward by the Mayor and Councillors were not even addressed in the findings… As a professional though, I do not agree with some statements and conclusions of the findings; however, I will not participate in any political spin doctoring or grandstanding. My integrity speaks for itself… I intend to fulfil my duties as Town Clerk without fear, favour, ill will or malice and will be guided by the law and my job description,” Bowen stated in the release.
Reasons
Meanwhile, in a comment on Thursday, Minister Bulkan described Bowen as an “equivalent of a Carol Sooba”, who was “sent” by former Minister Whittaker and “her time has run out”. He said he went against the recommendations of the investigative Committee to transfer Bowen, since he did not have the option of transferring her, owing to the fact that she was only employed at the Linden location. The Minister said he gave Bowen an opportunity to redeem herself by reinstating her, but she did not justify the faith which he placed in her to seek to rehabilitate herself. Instead, the Minister noted that Bowen sought to intensify her actions and her uncooperative conduct.
“I’ve been able to satisfy myself that Miss Bowen’s actions were disruptive, divisive and disrespectful to the Mayor and to the Council. In addition, she lacks an understanding of her role…based on a letter that she herself wrote to me…about two weeks ago, complaining or seeking to complain about the actions of the Mayor, it establishes to me that she sees herself as an equal to the Council. So, I am satisfied that she lacks a fundamental misunderstanding of her role, which is to basically be a servant of the Council,” the Minister said.
