Councillor Gwendolyn McGowan has been banned from making contact with officers within the Mayor and City Council on the instructions of Mayor Hamilton Green, but the reason for his action was not made clear.
As the council’s statutory meeting kicked off on Monday at City Hall, many persons were only then made aware of the ban, which was implemented about a week ago. McGowan was absent from Monday’s proceedings.
The issue was raised by Councillor Junior Garrett who questioned the Mayor’s authority to have it done and insisted that it be discussed and reconsidered immediately. “This is not for the Mayor to consider but for all councillors to talk about… Will the document be withdrawn?,” Garrett asked, insisting that an answer be provided.
However, Green would only say that he would consider the matter and suggested that Garrett prepare a motion to have it discussed. This caused conflict among councillors with Gladstone George springing to his feet and demanding that the meeting not proceed until a decision is made on a way forward.
PPP/C Councillor Kamla Devi-Ross joined in and also asked why the Mayor would restrict a councillor from making an inquiry with officers. Despite much talk around the table about the matter, the Mayor refused to offer a response and continued with the day’s agenda.
Deductions
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green proceeded to raise a question about controversial deductions from employees’ pay for a gratuity fund with the Mayor stepping in and inquiring whether or not the amounts deducted were being placed in an appropriate account. “I was questioning this issue with someone up to yesterday and I haven’t been able to get a clear answer till now,” he said.
Deputy Town Clerk, Sharon Harry-Munroe, in response said “Yes, Your Worship,” agitating the Mayor who asked for a more detailed answer. She then stated that the money was deposited in account number 1421148051.
City Treasurer, Andrew Meredith, then elaborated, stating that it is a city council account that had been used previously to operate the system and has since been reactivated. Chase-Green then stated that this was not what she was told.
“From the information I received, this money was deducted and held somewhere other than a bank account…,” she said. “When you decide to deduct officers’ money you had to decide at the time what you would do with it. I want a brand new account not a reactivated one. For you to say this is unsatisfactory. From now on I want to see a statement from the bank at the end of every month too,” she said.
Garrett noted that a proper system must be put in place to account for the workers’ money and further stated that the deductions should cease until this is done.
“Can the treasurer put this money in a kind of account that is secure? We have a history of deducting money and it is not going where it is supposed to,” the Mayor said.
Meredith then suggested that the auditor general be called in to settle the matter and erase any suspicion that councillors may have of him (Meredith). “Maybe the auditor general can say where the money is. It is unfair to officers this way,” Meredith said.
The mayor then apologized to the Treasurer on behalf of the councillors and proposed that he, the Town Clerk and the head of the Finance Committee meet and present the councillors and unions with documents to satisfy them. “Let’s focus on a matter that has forced workers to go out on the picket line,” he urged.
Also questioned was the present position with the Social Development account about which Councillor Ranwell Jordan had inquired. Told that it may have been closed or deemed dormant by the bank, he said, “If that’s the case then this council will have to deposit money or draw to activate it again.”
When again quizzed, Meredith stated that there was a proposal from the implementation committee to have the account closed. “I was asked why are all the accounts being held and I wrote letters to discuss and suggest which accounts should be closed,” he explained.
