Linden Town Clerk saga
…even as PS recommends reassignment
Almost three weeks after the release of the findings into the issues surrounding the no-confidence motion brought against Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), an official decision is yet to be made regarding her position.
While the Town Clerk remains off the job to date, this newspaper has seen a letter which was sent to Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland, by the Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry, Emil McGarrel, dated January 26, 2017, where he advised that the Town Clerk be reassigned her position. The letter, which was captioned, “Findings of the Investigative Committee on the No Confidence Motion
Brought against the Town Clerk”, stated:
“Dear Mr Holland,
Please be informed that the Investigative Committee appointed to hear the issues surrounding the No Confidence Motion brought against the Town Clerk, Ms Jonellor Bowen, by the Council on July 27, 2016, has completed its hearing observing the rules of natural justice and submitted a report to the Ministry of Communities. Hereto attached is a copy of this report. Please be advised 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. You are further advised that the Town Clerk shall be called upon to resume her functions as Town Clerk forthwith.”
The letter further stated that where the Council found that there was 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.
However, when contacted by this newspaper regarding the issue on Sunday, Holland said the Council had discussed “doing something” in relation to the Town Clerk issue, but has not yet decided on the way forward. He added that a letter
would be sent to the Town Clerk some time this week.
Holland, who has been tight-lipped on the issue, did not divulge much information, stating rather that he did not wish to speak on it since he was trying to prevent Councillors from levelling accusations against him.
“I wish not to speak on this issue until due time as I wish not to pre-empt anything. To avoid controversy, which is not needed at this time that we are focused on development and wish not to be distracted,” he stated.
As he has been doing for weeks, the Mayor once again promised to host a press conference regarding the issue by Tuesday.
Meanwhile, when contacted on Sunday, Town Clerk Bowen said while she was made aware that there was a letter stating that she be reassigned, she was yet to receive official word and correspondence.
“I have not received any correspondence from anyone from the Ministry, I am not aware. I haven’t received any letter from Mr McGarrel. I would have heard that there was a letter, but I haven’t seen anything. That’s through the grapevine, on the road I heard that. It’s now a little past, maybe 2 (o’clock), today the 26th day of February and I have not received anything from the Ministry, neither have I received anything from the Council. I have nothing in my possession,” she stated.
Bowen noted that she has been ready to resume her position ever since she received the findings of the Investigative Committee.
Former Administrative and Legal Affairs Committee Chairman, Councillor Lennox Gasper confirmed that there was a letter stating that the Town Clerk should be reassigned, which was given to the Councillors. However, he said there was also a discussion by the Council regarding what was meant by “forthwith”. “What is there to contend? Forthwith means immediately,” Gasper noted.
Additionally, he said the letter which urged that the Town Clerk be reassigned was initially removed from the findings of the Investigative Committee which Councillors had only recently received. As such, he accused the Mayor of practising “selective transparency”. Gasper further added that it was the Mayor who was supposed to write the letter to the Town Clerk informing her of her reinstatement.
During a meeting of the Council last week, Gasper said it was decided by the Council that the Town Clerk would resume duties on March 1. Asked by this newspaper who decided that March 1 should be recognised as “forthwith”, Gasper said the date was suggested by Councillor Rawle Friday, to facilitate a smooth transition as it relates documents and information.
“Because he would have suggested that the present Town Clerk Acting need some time to put together whatever Ms Bowen would have missed, to be able to have her properly introduced back into her office, and they all went with it,” he said.
However, when asked by Guyana Times if the Town Clerk would be back to work by March 1, Holland said he was unsure.
“I’m not sure. I have to check back tomorrow…just to be sure, what the 1st of March decision was about,” he said.
The findings of the Investigative Committee had indicated that the motion brought by the Council “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”, On the other hand, the recommendations section of the findings would have stated, “Consequently, the Committee is recommending… despite the procedural irregularity of the No-Confidence Motion, that the Town Clerk be reassigned to another post within the Ministry of Communities, where she can use her many skills and better apply her qualifications.”
After months of being on administrative leave pending a decision, an official decision is yet to be made regarding Bowen’s position and the way forward. (Utamu Belle)