By Dacia Whaul
An attempt by Mayor Hamilton Green and some city councillors to show solidarity for Opposition Leader David Granger’s call for local government elections was disrupted yesterday when City Hall’s gates were locked to bar supporters from attending a planned prayer service and meeting.
Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba said the decision was taken to secure City Hall’s assets and maintain control. Sooba also expressed fear that criminal elements could be hidden amidst the crowd of attendees and she also said security concerns were raised by citizens who were conducting business yesterday.
Scores of supporters turned up only to find out that they were not allowed to enter the compound, which was heavily barricaded and manned by City Constables. The crowd steadily increased to about 100 persons, some of whom hurled insults at Sooba and even demanded that she come to the gate and explain to them why they were denied entry to the prayer service. The meeting proceeded with councillors and other speakers within the compound, while supporters remained outside.
“It is my belief that the country in in chaos,” said Ricardo Wallis, when asked the reason for his attendance.
He added that local government elections, due since 1997, have not been held for too long and joined in the call for them to be held.
Granger last week issued an ultimatum to President Donald Ramotar, calling on him to set a date for the polls by Monday. He said failure to do so would see national and international support would be galvanised in defence of democracy.
But according to Sooba, the people gathered outside the City Hall were “unruly.” She also accused Green of parking his vehicle in the middle of the northern gate in a bid to allow members of main opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to enter the City Hall compound.
She explained that she heard of the planned meeting by way of a public announcement on Regent Street on Monday. “The City Constabulary took control to see no chaos in the City Hall,” she explained. When this publication enquired whether she had ordered the gates closed, Sooba said she did not direct that move. However, she stated that the City Constables “knew what they had to do to protect all assets.”
Sooba told Stabroek News that the mayor was never vested with the authority to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the council and that none of the councillors were empowered by any law. “Knowing that this is the main domain, where the business of the citizens is conducted,” Sooba stated, “without not even a word to me or the Chief Constable, they decided that they will hold a meeting.”
She also said that the claim that the event was a prayer service was a ploy, while noting that as the meeting went on within the compound insults were hurled at her and the City Constabulary’s Assistant Superintendent Gordon Langevine. “They [councillors] abused the Town Clerk and the President of Guyana. It was like an election campaign,” she said, while adding hymns were sung and disturbed the business of City Hall.
“We are afraid of all of them,” said Sooba, who added that citizens who visited City Hall to conduct business also expressed fear.
Meanwhile, Green said that the meeting, which he organised a week ago and got permission for from the police, was for prayers, solidarity by citizens for the call for the elections as well as the establishment of a Local Government Election Commission.
He said it was a complete absurdity that the City Constabulary blocked the vehicle that attempted to take a Public Address system into the compound of City Hall.
At the culmination of the meeting at 1 pm, Green said that he asked the barred supporters to remain firm and committed despite what had transpired. He added that APNU Member of Parliament Ronald Bulkan, in his address, pointed out the elections were critical.
When asked whether permission needed to be sought from Sooba for meetings, he said no, while adding that she is a classic case of a person with delusions of grandeur. He said that Sooba must be reminded that she is merely the Clerk to the Council, “but the government and the Minister [of Local Government] seemed to have
invested her with divine power and authority.”
On the other hand, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green told this publication that yesterday’s meeting was only the beginning of a series of activities until President Ramotar calls the elections. She too echoed the sentiments of the Mayor that no permission was needed from Sooba to hold a meeting by “duly elected Mayor and City Councillors.”
The next event in support for the holding of the elections will be held at the Stabroek Market Square on Friday at 6 pm.
