No parking meters on public roads – Public Infrastructure Ministry
…as demonstrations enter 7th week
The anti-parking meter protest has entered a seventh week of demonstrations on Thursday with reiterated calls for the deal to be revoked.
These demonstrators were mute
The Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) organised the weekly gatherings in response to the secretive manner in which the contract was signed between City Hall and Mexican company Smart City Solutions and the subsequent rollout of the project. But in the latest twist in the parking meter saga, Central Government has reminded that some of the roadways in Georgetown are outside of City Council’s control, suggesting that Smart City Solutions will not be allowed to implement parking meters in zones classified as “public roads”.
In a statement issued late Thursday, the Public Infrastructure Ministry cited the Roads Act, Chapter 51:01 of the Laws of Guyana, reminding several roads are under its remit.
The roads under the Ministry’s purview include: Clive Lloyd Drive, Rupert Craig Highway, University of Guyana access road, Water Street, Battery Road, Sea Wall Road, Young Street, Barrack Street, Camp Road, Fort Street, Vlissengen Road, Irving Street, Station Street, Duncan Street, Thomas Road, Sheriff Street/Kitty Avenue, Ruimveldt Avenue, Houston Bypass and the Eastern Highway.
The Public Infrastructure Ministry stated clearly that Smart City Solutions was not given permission to place parking meters in those zones.
“The Ministry wishes to clarify that it has not entered into any agreement, neither has it given permission to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown nor Smart City Solutions to erect parking meters along the aforementioned public roads. The public should, therefore, be guided accordingly,” it disclosed in the statement.
Since its rollout in late January, the project has attracted widespread criticism and protests; so much so, that Cabinet reportedly recommended a three-month suspension pending a review. However, Smart City Solutions, with City Hall’s permission, has continued to implement fees and clamp motor vehicles throughout this week.
At Thursday’s demonstration in front of City Hall, several protesters were mute, as their mouths were clamped, symbolic of the clamps that city operatives place on motor vehicles.
“Is City Hall running this country or is the Government of Guyana running this country?” one person questioned.
Shawn Lakan, another protester, indicated that the project was “robbing the economy”. Other protesters noted that they were arriving at work at later times as they were constantly seeking out zones which were not metered.
Meanwhile, political commentator and social activist, Dr David Hinds, who was also present at Thursday’s protest stressed that the current contract should be scrapped.
Despite a missive from Government to put a hold on the parking meter project in the city, Smart City Solutions earlier this week maintained that it would continue upholding its part of the legal agreement with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), since it had not received any word from its partner in business.
“Smart City Solutions confirms that it has received neither instruction nor any official word in respect to taking any action to suspend the GeoPark project from the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown, which is the counterparty to Smart City Solutions in respect of the Georgetown Metered Parking Project contract,” the company had disclosed in a statement to the press on Wednesday.
It noted too that it would continue to operate and enforce the GeoPark project in accordance with its obligations under the contract.
It was after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Government had recommended that the contract be suspended. There are expectations that further consultations and a full review of the system and contract will be requested. Despite calls from large sections of society, Government has consistently said that it could not interfere as City Hall was autonomous – although that position changed in January when Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said that the State would intervene only if necessary.
In February, the city announced 50 per cent reduced rates to about $100 per hour, but the general populace holds out that the fees are too burdensome.
