City Mayor discusses car park issues with stakeholders

Jun 25, 2008 News

City Mayor Hamilton Green has taken his concerns about the recent seizure of the Stabroek Car Park from the control of the municipality to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, and also has plans to meet with members of the Diplomatic Corps in this regard.

Green, during an interview with this newspaper yesterday, said that the conversion of the car park into a bus terminus has not only impacted negatively on the meagre revenue earning capacity of the City, but has also significantly hampered the operations of the business community.

He disclosed that some business operatives have already spoken out against the move by the relevant authorities, who in their opinion did not and still have not considered its impact.

Green stressed that not only should the action be deemed as uncaring, but it has breached every protocol.

Mayor Green divulged that those in higher authority have continually undermined his office.
As such, he regarded the whole situation as a clear case of “bullyism, and uncharacteristic of a democratic society.”

However, Green said that he is optimistic that a peaceable solution could be derived to address the current parking problem.

He said that the Council will continue to meet with stakeholders in hope of bridging the unfriendly gap.

The mayor, during a previous interview, had regarded the situation as a classic case of “executive lawlessness.”

He had explained that it was without warning that a decision was reached by the Public Works Ministry to take over the car park, even after a meeting on May 10, where certain agreements were made to restore some level of order in the city.

Without further consultation and agreement, Green said, the Car Park — which was managed as a fee-paying public facility for over 17 years — was taken over.

The mayor pointed out that the City had only recently signed a contract with a privately owned company to manage the car park, an operation through which the City would have garnered much-needed revenue.

In addition to depriving the Council of revenue, Green said, the seizure of the car park has also served to dislocate several stall holders and vendors who have, over the years, been using the park to facilitate the normal off-loading of goods and parking of their private vehicles.

Several petitions have since reached the municipality that the move has damaged their businesses and could carry up the cost of goods and services in the market.

As a result, the City Mayor said, the entire situation has already had a negative impact on business, even reducing it to about 45 per cent of the normal rate.