Dear Editor,
The deception of City Hall is appalling! On one hand, through the recent announcement of their estimates of revenue and expenditure for 2017, they projected a measly sum of just over $200,000,000 per year from the 20 per cent cut to which they are entitled from the fated parking meter initiative, if it were to thrive and be utilised fully on a daily basis by residents and shoppers in Georgetown. This cannot even fund two months of the Municipality’s payroll. In other words, the citizens should not look forward to too much benefits, even if the parking initiative is a smashing success.
On the other hand, however, the Town Clerk is raising the hopes of everyone for significant benefits from these paltry proceeds, such as installing a modern city transportation system for the young and elderly, for the construction of new sidewalks, green spaces and cycling lanes, in keeping with the international concept of a smarter city.
Now the youngest child knows that the above listed projects would take billions of dollars; so then, how many decades would it take at $240 million a year, (that is if everybody uses the spaces from 7am to 7pm each day) to complete these pipe dreams.
To make the situation even more laughable, they are even promising Municipal workers a hefty raise of pay from the same proceeds of this parking meter project, this is of course to bribe them in order to get buy. How cruel.
When will the madness at City Hall end? Now they have just capriciously exempted the area contiguous to the Bank of Guyana, so what about the other banks? Will they be exempted too?
Do they have a municipal court to deal with persons who have been dilatory in their parking or will Smart City Solutions and the City Council be the judge, jury and executioner?
Sincerely,
Modi Sankar
