“Operating in Reverse”: PNCR General Secretary Benjamin Alarms Over City Hall Breakdown
By: Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The internal rift at City Hall has widened into a full-scale constitutional debate following public statements from Town Clerk Candace Nelson. People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin is now weighing in, claiming that the Town Clerk’s decision to distance herself from the Council’s legal filings is a symptom of a “wider dysfunction” fueled by central government interference.
In an exclusive interview with Nightly News, Benjamin argued that the current power dynamic at the municipality is fundamentally broken, with administrative staff appearing to bypass the elected Council in favor of outside directives.
The Decision-Making Hierarchy
Benjamin addressed the recent controversy over the Water Street property legal filings, where the Town Clerk reportedly moved to disassociate her office from the Council’s challenge against the central government.
- Advice vs. Authority: Benjamin reminded that under the Municipal and District Councils Act (Chapter 28:01), while the Town Clerk serves as the chief administrative officer and advisor, the final decision-making power rests with the elected Council.
- The Record of Dissent: “You can advise the Council, but the Council can basically not take your advice,” Benjamin explained. He noted that the Town Clerk’s only legal recourse in a disagreement is to have her dissent formally recorded in the minutes—not to countermand Council instructions.
- Instructional Chain: He emphasized that as an employee of the city, the Town Clerk is obligated to execute the instructions of the elected body, regardless of personal or legal reservations.
“Reverse Governance”: Central Gov’t vs. City Council
The General Secretary expressed alarm over what he described as a “sad state of affairs” where the constitutional autonomy of local government is being eroded by the Ministry of Local Government.
- Outside Interference: Benjamin alleged that some staff members within City Hall appear to be taking orders from “outside the municipality,” specifically from the central government, rather than from the Mayor and Councillors.
- The Structural Flip: “What you have in essence is everything operating in the reverse,” Benjamin stated. “Central government makes the decision and the staff execute central government’s decision,” bypassing the locally elected representatives entirely.
A Struggle for the Future of Georgetown
For Sherwin Benjamin, the Town Clerk controversy is not an isolated HR issue; it is a battle for the “future of Georgetown’s local governance.” The PNCR believes that if administrative staff are allowed to ignore the will of the Council, the very concept of Local Government Elections (LGE) becomes meaningless. As the 2026 LGE approaches, this “wider struggle over power” is expected to intensify, with the judiciary likely being called upon to define once and for all where administrative duty ends and political autonomy begins.
