…Councillor Akeem Peter elected Deputy Mayor replacing Lionel Jaikarran
Incumbent Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene has been re-elected as Mayor of the City of Georgetown while Councillor Akeem Peter has ascended to the post of Deputy Mayor, replacing AFC’s Lionel Jaikarran who was openly critical of the Council.
This decision was made on Thursday during an in-house election at City Hall, where scores of protesters gathered in the blazing sun outside holding placards in their silent protest against the Mayor and Town Clerk, Royston King.
The protesters which consisted of several members from the Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) made continuous calls for the Town Clerk and Mayor’s removal, deeming them incompetent for their positions within the Georgetown Municipality.
One of the protesters, identified as Sadonna King asserted that the city has “no confidence” in the Mayor and Town Clerk.
“We would like to have the Town Clerk removed from his position…The evidence is before us…I’m floored as a citizen by his actions. He seems to be power driven…The Mayor has to be held responsible for this because she is condoning his actions…It would be difficult to get the Mayor to be removed so I can’t call for the Mayor’s removal. However, it would be my pleasure to see her go,” she posited.
The protest was this time instigated by the recent decision of the Mayor and APNU Councillors to disallow the “vote of no-confidence” motion made by Former Deputy Mayor, AFC’s Sherod Duncan against the Town Clerk, Royston King.
King had sought legal advice from Attorney, Maxwell Edwards, who is also the husband of a sitting Councillor- Noelle Chowchee- which described Duncan’s motion as “otiose” and “incompetent” while noting that the motion can only be considered by the council if the “vote of no-confidence” wording was changed.
However, even after being given two chances to amend his motion, Duncan refused to do so. As such, a majority of 15 Councillors voted to have the motion disallowed.
Duncan, as well as his supporters- which included now former Deputy Mayor Jaikarran, were furious, especially since King’s legal advice was read even before the motion was tabled.
