Dear Editor,
It is quite unmistakable that the folks at the Georgetown City Council, are completely antipathetic to the principles of transparency, accountability, and decency.
Here we are again, this time it has to do with the purported review of the parking meter contract by a ‘Kangaroo Committee’ consisting of Councillors and Officers of the very Georgetown Municipality that they have set up. Alas! The assessment exercise is also cloaked in secrecy and mystery.
Clearly, if serious about reviewing the shady parking meter contract, an independent committee would have been set up and not with any members from the same Council that created the problem in the first place aboard, as they could not be objective in the first place.
Unbelievably, just like the ‘Fantastic Four’ did in entering into this disgraceful parking meter contract in the first place, this committee has made the review process a top-secret, undercover operation.
But are they reviewing the contract with and by themselves? What about all of the concerned stakeholders such as ordinary citizens, business persons, taxi drivers and mini bus operators? What about organisations such as Transparency International Guyana, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Private Sector Commission, the Movement against Parking Meters? What about the religious community? What about the schools? Will they be invited to be involved at the last minute if at all?
With more than two months elapsed of the three month period given by the Minister for the Council to get it right, it is logical for persons to become concerned that the Council will try to foist the very same company Smart City Solutions on the citizenry and ramrod this very contract with just a few minor adjustments down everyone’s throats. Beware!
Sincerely,
Amber Valentine
