Councillors of the Grove/ Haslington NDC have appointed an acting chairman to replace elected chairman Godfrey Henry who is at the centre of several allegations of fraud.
The councillors on Tuesday last appointed councillor Bertie De Weaver to act as chairman until all matters were settled at the NDC. The councillors resolved also that Henry would have nothing to do with the NDC.
The councillors went ahead with the appointment although Henry had not consented to it. He had told this newspaper that only the Minister of Local Govern-ment could actually call on him to resign. Henry noted too that the other ways he would cease being chairman would be if he migrated, resigned or any other problem arose which would render him unsuitable to retain the post.
Stabroek News was informed by one of the councillors that the decision to elect an acting chairman was made after Henry had stopped performing his duties. This, the councillor said, had put a tremendous strain on the other councillors, resulting in the mismanagement of the NDC.
This newspaper was told that under the present circumstances it was legal for the council to appoint an acting chairman, but it did not have the power as stated in law to sack the chairman.
The councillor said Henry had given an undertaking to PNCR leader Robert Corbin two weeks ago that he would resign but failed to keep his promise and was virtually hiding from the councillors and staff at the Nabaclis office.
But Henry told this newspaper that he had asked Corbin to give him some time so he could respond in writing to the allegations made against him with regards to stolen funds. He said once this was done he would then resign as he had no problem doing so if the councillors felt he should.
"But I will not bow to no pressure. I would not allow them to push me out of office. I said I will respond and I will do so in my own time," Henry declared.
He confirmed that he will indeed tender his resignation, adding that he has already written it. "But I am not going to leave office without clearing my name. I said so to Corbin and I will do just that," Henry, a former PNCR member told Stabroek News.
He also accused the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of creating mischief, noting that there is a particular councillor who was spreading lies about him.
Henry said in relation to funds paid by residents of Golden Grove for electricity, he had secured the money in a safe at the office, but it had disappeared. He said it was not the first time monies got misplaced at the office.
He contended, too, that he never misused the market rates or misappropriated the council's funds.
Other allegations facing him relate to unaccounted for market fees, rates and taxes and why the October, November and December pay sheets were not signed by him. He denied all of these allegations, declaring that his slate was clean. He had accused one of his staff of forging his signature and being threatening towards him.
But the councillors said they were fed up of Henry, saying that he was unimaginative and uninspiring. Henry has been chairman of the NDC since 1994.
The councillors told this newspaper that a special council meeting will be held next week to decide on Henry's future association with the council.
Stabroek News was told that some of the councillors along with the residents are planning to take legal action against Henry to get their monies back. An official of the RDC said it is likely that the Auditor General will be called in to investigate the alleged fraud, after which an investigating committee will be set up by the NDC to look into the matter.
The official said if Henry was found culpable, legal action would be taken since most of the residents have already made it clear that they will call in the police.
The councillor said they were very disappointed that the Minister of Local Government has not responded to a letter sent to him over a month ago requesting that he sack Henry. The councillor added that they had also signed a petition and dispatched it to the minister, but this too he has not responded to.
Stabroek News made several attempts to contact Minister Clinton Collymore who has responsibilities for NDCs but he could not be reached.