Linden Town Clerk to be reinstated

After months of being on administrative leave, Linden Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen is expected to resume duties today (Wednesday). Bowen said she received correspondence from the Linden Mayor and Town Council ( LM&TC ) on Tuesday evening instructing her to resume duties. She is expected to issue a press statement in relation to the issue today.

Councillors of the municipality had passed a no confidence motion against Bowen on July 27, 2016 and she was sent on administrative leave in October, following a Commission of Inquiry into alleged wrongdoings within the Council. The Commission of Inquiry which released its findings a few weeks ago, however, 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 within the Ministry of Communities Emil McGarrel wrote to the Council in a letter dated January 26, 2017 advising the Council to reinstate Bowen. McGarrel noted in the letter that arising from the findings of this Committee, the Ministry is not in a position to endorse the No Confidence Motion as it currently stands due to its procedural irregularities. He further advised that the Town Clerk shall be called upon to resume her functions as Town Clerk forthwith.