Rights group speaks out against sacking of Linden’s Town Clerk

– condemns Minister’s actions, calls for Local Govt Commission

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan’s recent sacking of Linden Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen without notice and reasonable justification, after she led a group of women in a vociferous complaint against the Mayor, raises a number of questions.
It also brings to light a glimpse of the undermining of women’s empowerment by authoritative figures.
The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), championing the cause of

women’s rights for over 60 years, is condemning in the strongest possible terms the actions taken by the Minister.
“The WPO rejects this callous, insensitive and anti-women’s actions and denounces it. This kind of behaviour has no place in society in this enlightened age,” the women’s arm of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said in a statement on Tuesday.
The women’s rights group is questioning why the Minister did not launch an investigation into the women’s complaints of bullyism and intimidation against the Mayor.
“Are women to suffer in silence under this Government? Since the Town Clerk was the person who headed the Administration and delivered the letters, she became the victim. It can, therefore, be surmised that the Minister’s actions and subsequent statements to the media (the Town Clerk did not understand her role) was meant to ‘teach her and all other women in the local government system a lesson’ and get them to toe the line or go?”
The organisation noted that the local government system comprised a significant number of women and condemned all attempts to weaken women’s empowerment that progressive forces worked tirelessly over the years to achieve.
In light of this event, the WPO noted that the need for the Local Government Commission to be established was becoming clearer.
“Its absence allowed the Minister to assume the authority that has caused women to be disadvantaged,” the WPO said.
Although all elements are in place, Government is yet to swear in the Commissioners so the Local Government Commission can function.

The WPO is also calling for an independent probe to be launched in order to determine the veracity of the allegations made against the Mayor towards female employees of the Linden Town Council.
The WPO also called on the Women and Gender Equality Commission to use its constitutional mandate to determine the true state of treatment meted out to women in the workplace and to mount educational programmes with the view of eliminating such behaviour.
“The WPO also calls on all women everywhere, regardless of affiliation, to reject bullyism, intimidation and abuse from bosses and superiors in their work places and to stand in solidarity with those who dare to speak up. All organisations that represent women and advocates for women’s rights should denounce Minister Bulkan’s actions as it relates to the revocation of Ms Jonellor Bowen’s appointment,” the WPO urged.
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 (CoI) into alleged wrongdoings within the Council.
However, the CoI cleared her of any wrongdoing and was subsequently reinstated.
This newspaper understands that the decision to reinstate Bowen did not find favour with some Councillors of the municipality.
Minister Bulkan, however, has since described Bowen as an “equivalent of a Carol Sooba”, who was “sent” by former Minister Norman Whittaker and “her time has run out”.
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.