High Court Judge quashes appointment of Mabaruma Mayor and five NDCs Chairmen

The appointments were challenged by the PPP on the grounds that in the Mabaruma municipality and in the five NDCs there were ties in the allocation of seats and therefore if there was no agreement on the head of the various councils, the parties should have allowed a by election before the new mayor or chairpersons were installed.

High Court Judge quashes appointment of Mabaruma Mayor and five NDCs Chairmen

Just hours after a new Mayor and Deputy were sworn in for the Town of Mabaruma, High Court Judge, Diana Insanally, quashed the appointments along with appointments of the Chairmen and Vice chair for five Neighbourhood Democractic Councils.

The appointments were challenged by the PPP on the grounds that in the Mabaruma municipality and in the five NDCs there were ties in the allocation of seats and therefore if there was no agreement on the head of the various councils, the parties should have allowed a by-election before the new mayor or chairpersons were installed.

The Minister of Communities had reportedly made a decision on who should head the Mabaruma township and the NDCs as a tie breaker of sorts.

For the town of Mabaruma, although there was a tie in council seats, the APNU+AFC coalition edged the PPP in the number of total votes.

But because of the tie in seat allocation, the two parties could not agree on a Mayor. Eventually the coalition’s candidate got the Mayorship following a decision by the Minister and a walkout by the PPP.

The PPP has criticized the move. The government will get a chance to respond to the Judge’s temporary ruling when the case is called up again, later this month.

 

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