REVENGE AT CITY HALL

Jul 21, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The controversial parking meter project proposed by the City is being reviewed by the government but insiders believe that the contract cannot withstand public scrutiny. The government is in a tight spot. On the one hand, it does not want to be seen as bowing to public pressure and ordering the city to delay or cancel the project.
On the other hand, it would seem callous and could face serious consequences if it ignores the wishes of the people and allow the project to proceed. Either way, the government has to blame itself.
The parking meter project must be looked at in a sensible way to see if the benefits outweigh the costs. That decision should not be left to those City officials who went on an outing to Mexico and Panama, paid for by National Parking Solutions (NPS).
Denying that they are in a conflict of interest, the Mayor and Town Clerk have insisted that the parking meter project will proceed. Such egotism is self-destructive. It is ironic that these same officials who criticized the former Town Clerk for being high-handed and disrespectful to the people are doing exactly the same thing.
The President’s statement that he has not been advised of any impropriety and would not prevent the implementation of the project has conflicted with the Minister of State who has responded to public concerns and has asked the Attorney General and the Ministry of Finance to do a thorough review of the contract.
The President’s remarks have raised several questions about how genuine the government review is, particularly given the complaints made by the Deputy Mayor. Is he aware of the claims made by the Deputy Mayor that Smart City Solutions (SCS) is not associated with NPS and that neither has installed parking meters in Panama, Mexico or elsewhere?
Has the President taken into consideration the credibility of the City Officials whose trip to Mexico and Panama places them in a compromising position? Is he aware that this newspaper has checked the Manhattan address listed by the National Parking Systems and found it was not occupied by the company? Is he aware that neither company has any experience in installing parking meters?
Does he know that the Mayor and the Town Clerk have made no effort to debunk the evidence put forth by the Deputy Mayor that the company barely exists? Does he know that the contract is for 49 years and City officials have not responded to claims made by insiders that the company plans to install second hand parking meters which it purchased in Mexico?
The President seems not to know of the revenge against the Deputy Mayor for him speaking the truth.
Regarding the authenticity of the credentials of the company, the inability of City officials to do due diligence on the company by Google Internet search which the Mayor has condemned is very troubling. This is a serious issue. The Mayor or Town Clerk of the City must do due diligence on the company before the Council saddles the residents of Georgetown with another burden the likes of Synergy Holdings, Surrendra Engineering and Fip Motilall.
Millions of taxpayers’ dollars were lost on these ill-fated contracts, yet it would seem that neither the government nor the city has learnt from the mistakes of the last administration.
Plain and simple, the parking meter project is a scandal. It is a blatant disregard of the people’s rights to know.There is no transparency or accountability at City Hall.There was no tendering because the Mayor and Town Clerk said that it was not necessary.
It has not explained how the 20 percent in revenue to the City was arrived at. Computing the cost for the installation and services and paying 20 percent of the profit to the City, NPS stands to make a profit of at least 40 percent. No company in Guyana makes that kind of profit.

2 thoughts on “REVENGE AT CITY HALL”

RLSG July 21, 2016 at 12:25 pm

President Granger is a nice easy going guy but I don’t think that he is cut out for the cut and tumble world of politics. I think that he is just too nice in my personal opinion. Why can’t he make a decisive statement on this whole parking meter mess ? I think that, like most people feel, that Joe Harmon is in charge and he is just a titular head of government. His personality certainly does not match what is needed in a challenging country like Guyana, a visionary, he is better suited for the world of academia or the military.
Arthur Young July 21, 2016 at 4:20 pm

“History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce” – Karl Marx.