PNC/R councillor Winston Hope has been suspended from the Rose Hall Town Council until further notice, Mayor William Hendrax announced last Monday at the statutory meeting of the council at which Hope was present.
Just over one week ago Hendrax told Stabroek News that he had received certain instructions from Minster within the Ministry of Local Government, Clinton Collymore on how to act in relation to Hope’s refusal to apologise for a letter to a daily newspaper a few weeks ago.
In that letter Hope had alleged that the mayor was secretly sworn-in. The PPP/C-led council subsequently moved a motion banning Hope from speaking at meetings and withholding his stipend.
Hope refused to apologise at three meetings of the council forcing Hendrax to seek the minister’s advice. According to Hope, when the adjourned statutory meeting was re-convened last Monday, he enquired of the mayor why no one from the Ministry of Local Government or the Regional Administration was present since the meeting was adjourned by the mayor to seek the intervention of one of the two institutions to resolve the issue.
Hope said it was later disclosed by the mayor that he was instructed by Collymore to summon the meeting but the instruction was not given in writing.
“I was then deemed out of order and disorderly and a motion was moved by PPP/C councillor Pooran Naresh for me to be suspended indefinitely.”
Hope said a police sergeant who was invited to the meeting was instructed by the mayor to arrest him because he was speaking at the meeting. “The sergeant, however, refused to carry out the instructions of the mayor.” According to Hendrax, Hope was in violation of Section 27 and 29 of the Standing Orders and Rules.
Hope is contemplating legal action against the Mayor and Town Council.
Meanwhile the issue was raised at Thursday’s Regional Democratic Council meeting in New Amsterdam by PNC/R councillors.
As a result a committee has been established to investigate the concerns raised by the regional councillors over the administration of the Town Council.
Hendrax was sworn-in as mayor on August 20 following the resignation of former mayor, Deonarine Jankie.
The council comprises nine PPP/C and three PNC/R councilors. However, two seats have been declared vacant on the PPP/C side.
A major bone of contention among the PNC/R councillors is the manner in which the mayor was elected and the failure of the council to so far elect a deputy. However, Hendrax has refuted claims by the party that his appointment was a breach of the municipal by-laws.
Town Clerk Kunjlall Ramruch told this newspaper recently that he was awaiting instructions from Collymore to hold elections for a deputy mayor. A source knowledgeable in local government affairs explained that elections should be held among councillors for a mayor and deputy and elections for the two top posts should be held on an annual basis.
Section 15 of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01 states inter alia: “If a vacancy occurs in the office of Deputy Mayor prior to the retirement of the holder at the expiration of his term of office, the Town Clerk shall call a meeting of the council to elect a councillor to be Deputy Mayor.
The councillor so elected shall, subject to this act hold that office for the unexpired portion of the term of office of the person whom he succeeds...”