The Mayor and City Council this afternoon by way of motion voted for Public Relations Officer Royston King to act as Town Clerk of the council.
Sitting under the hot afternoon sun in the compound of the council, the 13 councillors present voted unanimously in favour of the motion.
Mayor Hamilton Green and his deputy Patricia Chase-Green were forced to convene what they termed an extraordinary meeting in the compound after they were locked out of the council chamber by acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba.
Ignoring a letter from Minister of Local Government Norman Whitaker not to hold the meeting, the mayor and his councillors braved the afternoon sun and went ahead with the meeting.
Green informed the meeting that his letter to Sooba to convene the special meeting was ignored and that she had even instructed his secretary to return for the letter. She also instructed the senior officers by way of letter not to attend this afternoon’s meeting.
King was the only officer present even as some officers were seen peeping from office windows but Sooba’s office remained tightly shut.
When the motion was passed members of the public who were present applauded in support.
The last statutory meeting finished abruptly after Sooba walked out and instructed officers to so the same. Her actions were prompted by her being disallowed to say the prayers by the mayor.
This afternoon’s meeting is just another in many that demonstrate the acrimonious relationship between the council and Sooba who was appointed to the position by then Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud.
