00:00Since the last local government election, internal operations of the UNC-led Separia Boru Corporation have been volatile due to
00:09a series of events, shifting the UNC's majority of 8-5 to 5-7 in favour of the PNM.
00:17So when the council met on Tuesday for its annual vote and selection of 18 chairmen for its various standing
00:24and other committees, the PNM hoped to lead all.
00:28The sitting began with defector UNC Alderman Victor Roberts making a failed attempt to bar the media.
00:35The council has the right to move a motion to exclude the media from this city.
00:41Then it was on to the voting for four standing committees, each of which saw the PNM's candidates succeed as
00:48chairman.
00:48All those in favour of Jodnat Miru as chairman of the Finance, Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee, 1, 2,
00:583, 4, 5.
00:58All those in favour of Councillor Anton George as chairman of the Finance Committee, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
01:147, Councillor Anton George has been elected as the chairman of the Finance Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee.
01:22It was then on to the selection for 14 other committees.
01:27According to the mayor and the borough's corporate secretary, citing the Municipal Corporations Act governing their standing orders,
01:35voting for a chairman is only required for the four standing committees and not other or ad hoc committees, a
01:42position the PNM did not accept.
01:57The mayor later read a statement from Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Khadija Amin, on the matter.
02:04The selection of a chairman of a committee other than a standing committee and of a subcommittee of council is
02:11a function of the mayor alone.
02:14It is not the subject of a motion.
02:17It is not conditional upon the approval, confirmation and ratification of council.
02:22And the council may not, by resolution, appoint, approve, disapprove, replace or direct the selection of such a chairman or
02:32attach any condition to it.
02:34We have absolutely no confidence in the minister interpretation of the act.
02:41The minister is not an attorney at law.
02:44We are adjourning this meeting for a time that when we consider appropriate.
02:50Councilors, let's go.
02:56This is how they intend to govern Sipari.
02:59They want to win the election in Sipari.
03:02I hope the electorate in Sipari are watching on and seeing what they have set as failures.
03:07That is why they lost the general election and they will lose the local election.
03:12The exchange of words continued until all members exited the chamber.
03:17I have lost the Sipari Borough Corporation.
03:22So now the PNM have the majority in this corporation.
03:25Unbelievable that somebody who had such weight, such power.
03:30Because all they buy Victor Roberts, that money talks.
03:32All they buy Victor Roberts.
03:34And they talk about the mayor.
03:36And all they buy Jason Ali and all they use him, the two of them.
03:39Following the August 2023 local government election,
03:43UNC won Sipari with six of the nine electoral districts.
03:47Added to its two aldermen, they had eight members versus the PNM's five.
03:53But over the last two years, one UNC councillor, Jason Ali, defected.
03:58UNC alderman Victor Roberts also crossed the floor.
04:02And another UNC seat was declared vacant when councillor Ramona Victor was murdered.
04:08As a result, the UNC's strength in the corporation dipped to five,
04:13with the PNM having seven council members voting in its favour.
04:19Cindy Raguba-Thika Singh, TV6 News.
