“We’re tired of this nonsense” – City Hall workers finally paid after 2-day protest

At took several weeks of running around and two days of protesting for municipal workers to finally get paid for their labour.

While relieved, City Hall workers have grown tired of the injustices that continue to be meted out to them and are calling for a change, particularly for the Town Clerk Royston King to be sacked and replaced with a better leader.

Some hours after day two of the vigorous protest action outside City Hall, workers were finally paid their September salaries, which was for their labour deployed during the preceding month.

The aggrieved workers said the delay in receiving their salaries resulted in grave financial troubles, with many falling behind on debts and being unable to comfortably send their children to school.

Guyana Labour Union (GLU) President Irma Glenn was at wits’ end over the disrespect shown to the working class, as well as the level of arrogance displayed by the Town Clerk.

“We tired of this nonsense; we tired of this. Oh my god, we tired of this. Something’s got to be done. When Sooba (former acting Town Clerk) was here, we had our little problem, but this here beat all cockfight. We never had a problem with Sooba, she used to write to us if the money can’t come, or she used to call and tell us, but he (King) don’t send no letter, he’s too haughty,” the GLU leader vented.

Sack King

City Hall workers heightened calls for the sacking of the Town Clerk, and Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, who participated in the exercise, took up the task of ensuring he was removed.

During an interview with Guyana Times on the sidelines of the picketing activity, Duncan said it was clear that King was lacking key leadership and management abilities and must, therefore, be replaced by someone more capable of managing the affairs of the capital city.

“The flea market that was put in place a few months ago has failed, the moving of the Stabroek Market vendors, the Robb Street vendors have failed, projects have been stalled, the Merriman Mall… you name it, it has failed and it reflects on the Town Clerk and if he has a problem with leadership and management, then he must go,” he stated.

The Deputy Mayor, who has been very outspoken about the lack of transparency and accountability at City Hall, plans to engage the Mayor Patricia Chase Green and the subject Minister, Ronald Bulkan, on the removal of the Town Clerk.

“I have all options on the table and I am looking at that… I plan to talk with the Mayor and the Minister to see the way forward, because I don’t think the city can have another six months of the Town Clerk with all the failures that are stacking up against this Town Clerk and if we are to really move Georgetown forward, we can’t do so with King as the chief administrator of this city,” he expressed.

King has come under fire over his arbitrary and autocratic manner in dealing with the affairs of the city.

The matters in question include the removal of vendors, the destruction of stalls and his involvement in the controversial parking meter scandal, among many others.

But King, in response to previous calls for his removal, said everyone was entitled to a personal opinion and he has the City’s best interest at heart.