SOME Mayor and City Council (M&CC) officials have expressed concern about what they call the “politicization” of the Town Clerk’s office; an office that has seen several changes in the temporary Town Clerks recently.
Choosing not to be named, one official noted that Town Clerk (s) Sherry Jerrick does not get much favor with Mayor Ubraj Narine and other officials because she conducts her affairs in a neutral and professional manner.
A few months ago, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) City Council had “over-scored Sherwin Benjamin and Miss Jerrick” when it conducted interviews for the post of Town Clerk.
Jerrick reportedly felt “cheated,” according to one of the officers, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday. Jerrick spent nearly three decades working in the City Council and, therefore, could not possibly lose to “someone who got off the road,” the source noted, adding that Jerrick had been acting Town Clerk for a while July 2019 and was never named for any wrongdoing.
Benjamin, who was seeking the position of Town Clerk, and was the obvious choice of the M&CC, is reportedly a political officer who figures with the APNU / AFC.
If Benjamin had been appointed, according to the source, it would have been a conflict of interest. “The man was not fit to continue working in the Local Government Commission as the legal officer; they decided to end his contract in August last year, but the same people wanted him to come and work at the Council, ”he informed the source.
“This is the same person who worked on the commission of inquiry who fired Royston King, who had close knowledge of why they sent Sharon Harry home, who may have been planning to take on the Town Clerk position all this time and get these people from their jobs, ”the source continued.
With regard to Jerrick, she was quoted in the Commission’s report on dereliction of duties and incompetence, which the source cited without any evidence.
Meanwhile, last month, the M&CC passed a proposal to replace temporary Town Clerk Candace Nelson (Jerrick is currently on holiday) because councilors said she had no knowledge of her roles and responsibilities.
After voting to remove Nelson, councilors in Julian Orgista then voted in her stead.