Dear Editor,
It has become necessary for us to write you about your coverage of events and activities at City Hall. As you know, the council is currently experiencing organizational turbulence, to wit, a worrying lack of sensitivity to the needs of citizens, and poor administration of the city’s business by the office of the Town Clerk, resulting in a democratic deficit, defective systems for providing municipal services to citizens, and run-down local communities.
This situation is exacerbated by the irrational and irresponsible statements of Ms Carol Sooba, at press conferences called by her without the knowledge and/or permission of the elected body – the Mayor and City Councillors.
As a result, the Mayor and City Council is advising all media editors, journalists and reporters that it is not responsible for any statements made by Ms Sooba, at such conferences; statements by Ms Sooba at her conferences do not reflect the values, views and thinking of the Georgetown municipality. Therefore, reporters who attend and report the utterances and other things at press conferences called by Ms Sooba are doing so at their own risk; the council is not responsible.
Media owners, editors, journalists and reporters must know that the city council has a standard procedure for calling conferences and other events which involve the media. Such events must be done through the public relations section; no other arrangement will be recognized by the council. This is necessary for the dissemination of accurate information on different aspects of the council’s responsibility to the city and its citizens, and to optimize public participation in the management and governance of local communities and the City of Georgetown.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
Mayor of Georgetown
