Although plans are in train to have the parking metre system reintroduced in the City of Georgetown, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has maintained its nonsupport for this initiative.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo still believes that the metering system is not the best arrangement to assist with the reduction or organisation of traffic within the country’s capital city.
Addressing a media conference on Wednesday, Jagdeo said the PPP will continue
A parking metre in downtown Georgetown
to oppose the initiative for several reasons, chief of them, the fact that the initial contract was flawed.
The PPP General Secretary was speaking against the backdrop of recent discussions at the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) surrounding the amended By-laws for the metered parking reintroduction.
The M&CC has renegotiated the contract it has with the metering provider, Smart City Solutions (SCS).
Jagdeo is concerned about the persistence and continuous interest to have this project re-implemented even when the company is faced with several known controversies.
“I think the city can make more money by doing simple things even if it wants to introduce paid parking, without going through this contract again but the reason why they’re sticking with this contract is not just what will flow to the city because it will be minimal sums. It is what will flow to individuals,” he stated.
Jagdeo reminded that he had pitched a proposal where the City Hall could gain more income and treated the parking of vehicles in a much different way as they did before.
“The City Council all they need is maybe 1000 gallons of paint and go around and mark every area in the city and once per month, sell a sticker for $1000 or $2000 and people pay you and they park anywhere in the city once they have the sticker on the vehicle itself,” he explained.
That plan, he claimed, is more affordable and takes away the huge administrative cost that the M&CC would have to incur were they to go ahead with reintroducing the parking meters.
During a meeting on Monday, former People’s National Congress (PNC) General Secretary Oscar Clarke stated that installing parking meters is the legal right of the M&CC, and he went as far as saying that they will be implemented.
Councillors were given the extension of time and would meet on April 4 at 14:00h to complete discussion and vote on the amendments.
Following re-negotiation, SCS and the M&CC reached a new agreement under the controversial parking meter project, which will now see persons paying $150 per hour and $800 for eight hours of parking in the city.
Meanwhile, residents of the city would be issued with a restricted residential pass for free parking from 19:00h-07:00h (7pm-7am) Monday to Friday, while parking will be free on Saturdays.
Under the modified contract, both parties have agreed to have an oversight committee set up to monitor, review, and manage the operation of the project.
The committee is expected to have three representatives from City Hall, three from Smart City Solutions, and one third party with the Terms of Reference for the committee expected to be agreed upon at a later date.
The Committee’s report noted that during the renegotiations, the subject of share profit and contractual obligations were discussed and it was agreed to have it remain the same being the 20/80 M&CC-SCS for a period of 20 years. It was also disclosed that in the event of arbitration, the proceedings would be held in Miami, despite the jurisdiction being Guyana.
