After acting as town clerk of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M& CC) for some 16 months, the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry has confirmed Carol Sooba in the post. Sooba received her confirmation letter on Monday, December 2.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon made the disclosure on Wednesday during his post-weekly Cabinet briefing at the Office of the President.
During her stint in the post, Sooba was bashed by the City Mayor Hamilton Green with support from councillors aligned to the mayor, who claimed that she was not qualified to act in the post.
But despite the criticisms, Sooba told Guyana Times International on Wednesday during an interview that her appointment comes as no surprise.
“To have gone through that I would have expected it to be unconscionable that I should not continue,” Sooba added.
The town clerk said that she was battling many issues, as it relates to her confirmation, having to put up with battles with the mayor and running the administration of the M& CC. However, she said now that she is confirmed, she will focus her energies in helping to fix the many issues affecting the city.
With the primary objective of moving Georgetown forward, Sooba said she will be working to restore the dilapidated M& CC building, in addition to addressing the garbage problem.
She also expressed a willingness to work closely with the city mayor, once his plans are in keeping with the Municipal and District Council Act.
However, despite Sooba’s optimism, a majority of M& CC staff was taken aback as word spread of her appointment.
Earlier this year, Sooba applied twice for the position of town clerk, but Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green who sat on the panel on both occasions said Sooba was the least qualified.
Initially, six persons had applied for the post including Sooba; however, junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker had said no one had qualified. During the ministry’s second attempt, four applicants were interviewed, including Sooba, but the result was no different.
Chase-Green made it clear that the panel did not recommend Sooba for the position, noting that her behaviour during the interview was uncouth. Now, the deputy mayor is contending that the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry is sending the wrong message to young professionals who are pursuing higher education.
However, Sooba said that Chase-Green was not qualified to sit on the panel. Sooba remained firm in her position that she has the requisite experience, while alluding to the public service rule, stating that after acting in the position for more than a year, it is only fair that she should be given the position.
