Patricia Chase-Green has been returned to the position of Mayor of Georgetown after Sherod Duncan withdrew just before the Mayor & City Council was set to vote yesterday for a new mayor.
Duncan announced that he was withdrawing from the process which he said has been “tainted” with “ministerial” intervention and that councillors have been “coerced” to give their support in a particular direction.
Duncan also announced that he would not be contesting for the Deputy Mayorship “as this position requires someone more in tune with the incumbent Mayor’s thinking and work ethic.” Both Chase-Green and Duncan represent APNU+AFC. Lionel Jaikarran of APNU+AFC is the new Deputy Mayor. Duncan had gathered public support as a result of positions he had taken while serving as the deputy.
Resplendent in a suit several shades darker than her signature green, incumbent Mayor, Chase-Green began yesterday’s special statutory meeting in an unfamiliar seat, at the foot of the horse shoe table. However, less than 50 seconds after voting was opened, she resumed the seat from where she has led the Georgetown City Council since April 1, 2016.
In a deviation from the process being followed in the other Local Government Authorities (LGA), Town Clerk Royston King explained that once elected the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will hold the posts of Mayor Elect and Deputy Mayor elect until March 31, 2017 when the one year term of the present officers end.
He quoted Section 10 of the Municipal and District Council’s Act Chapter 28:01 which states that the term of office for a Mayor and Deputy Mayor shall be one year commencing the first day of the month following upon their elections.
Having explained the process, King opened the floor for suggestions as to the process of nominations; immediately, veteran APNU+AFC Councillor Oscar Clarke called for an open vote by a show of hands. According to Clarke, who is the General Secretary of the PNCR, “we would all like to know how everyone votes today.”
Councillor Carlyle Goring of the AFC arm of the APNU+ADC coalition suggested a vote via secret ballot. This suggestion was summarily shut down when 19 APNU+AFC councillors voted against the motion. He was able to secure the support of 7 councillors: Malcolm Ferreira of Team Legacy, Selwyn Smartt of Team Benschop for Mayor, Khame Sharma and Bisram Kuppen of the PPP/C as well as the AFC arm of the coalition represented by himself, Duncan and Jaikarran. Observers had pointed out that an open vote heavily favoured Chase-Green as those councillors who were representing APNU would not openly vote against Chase-Green
The method having been decided, nominations for Mayor were opened and APNU+AFC Councillor Gregory Fraser popped up to nominate Chase-Green for the position. In a display of the well-oiled machine those familiar with City Hall have become accustomed to, Councillor Clarke seconded the motion almost before it was finished being put.
He had not yet taken his seat when APNU+AFC Councillor Junior Garrett excitedly called for nominations to be closed and APNU+AFC Councillor Noelle Chow-Chee seconded the motion. The city now had as a new Mayor, its immediate-past Mayor.
The entire process took 48 seconds but it had in reality been settled one hour earlier when incumbent Deputy Mayor Duncan withdrew his candidacy.
The deputy mayor, who had been at loggerheads with Chase-Green and Town Clerk King particularly in relation to the soon-to-be-introduced parking meter system, said on his Facebook page that while he had hoped for something different has been forced into withdrawing from the process which he said has been “tainted” with “ministerial” intervention and that councillors have been “coerced” to give their support in a particular direction.
He also withdrew his candidacy for Deputy Mayor and sat stoically through yesterday’s meeting. According to Duncan the position of Deputy Mayor “requires someone more in tune with the incumbent Mayor’s thinking and work ethic.”
With the field as clear as it could be nominations for Deputy Mayor were opened and three nominations were received. Councillor Phillip Smith nominated Councillor Jaikarran, Councillor- Malcolm Ferreira nominated Councillor Carolyn Caesar and Councillor Selwyn Smartt nominated Councillor Ferreira.
An overwhelming majority, 24 councillors, voted in favour of Jaikarran while 4 abstained. Caesar and Ferreira were only able to secure three votes each.
A tearful Jaikarran took the seat to the right of the Mayor while Duncan moved left to the sound of jeers from some of the APNU councillors.
In congratulating Jaikarran, several councillors took the time to state that they now expected the council to act in unity, with one mind and one voice while APNU+AFC Councillor Monica Thomas took the time to note that since Jaikarran owns his own car there should be no issue raised about lack of a vehicle for the Deputy Mayor. This was a direct attack on Duncan who had requested that vehicles be made available for the use of the Deputy Mayor and Councillors who are required to visit their respective constituencies.
According to Duncan serving the Municipality of Georgetown as Deputy Mayor has been a rewarding experience for him and an education. “I have enjoyed the support of Councillors across the political divide, the Coalition Government’s confidence, (the Government continues to have my unswerving support) and I am humbled by the support of the residents of the Municipality of Georgetown.”
“I look forward to continue representing the residents of Constituency 14 South Ruimveldt / Ruimveldt Industrial Estate as their Councillor.”Duncan joined the council this year, Chase-Green has been there since 1994.
