The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday approved a motion for the payment of all outstanding benefits to former Town Clerk Royston King in like manner to a payout approved for former Town Clerk Carol Sooba.
The motion, proposed by the Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine and seconded by fellow APNU councillor Heston Bostwick, was eventually approved by all councillors who were present at the statutory meeting, which was held at the Kitty Market.
According to Narine, the various benefits that were approved by the council and the Local Government Commission for Sooba should also be given to King, and they should receive them at the same time.
“I find it at this appropriate time that since the Local Government Commission and the council had approved the benefits, gratuity, pension, etc. to the former Town Clerk Ms. Carol Sooba… I propose the same for Mr. Royston King….and both of it must go hand-in-hand at the same time,” Narine stated.
The motion was then approved by councillors, who thumped their tables in agreement.
“Under clear instructions of this council, Mr. Royston King must receive all his benefits, gratuity, pension, etc…the same must go hand in hand with Ms. Carol Sooba. All must approve at the same time and both parties must receive at the same time,” Narine added.
King served as Town Clerk during the period of 2015 to 2019 before he was fired in January of 2019 by LGC for alleged gross misconduct. However, the High Court subsequently nullified his dismissal.
King had been dismissed via a letter, dated January 23rd, 2019, that cited gross misconduct as the reason for dismissal, which was based on the findings of a Commission of Inquiry. However, King filed a lawsuit at the High Court for several orders, including the quashing of the decision of the LGC to dismiss him from the post of Town Clerk for gross misconduct. King in the lawsuit further asked that he be reinstated and/or paid all benefits inclusive of pension, gratuity and annual leave allowances until he reaches retirement age in January 2020. He was never reinstated.
