Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan yesterday defended his decision to appoint the Mayor of Mabaruma declaring that the law allows him to make such a selection even as he dismissed as “inapplicable,” a clause that allows voters to directly elect a mayor in the event of a tied council vote.
The minister argued that the legislation when read in its entirety does not contemplate voters directly electing mayors. “Nowhere in the legislation, namely the Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01 or the Local Government Act 28:02 is it contemplated that the mayors will