A few suggestions for M&CC

Dec 18, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I gather from the news that the Georgetown City Council still faces challenges to realise substantial inflows under its amnesty. Although the expectation that taxpayers would have taken advantage of the offer (it was a fair one), it was perhaps unrealistic to assume that people would be falling all over themselves in a rush to settle their outstanding obligations to the Council.
The reason for this intransigence by the defaulters resides in the seeming lack of sanction, and enforcement capability on the part of the city council quite unlike GT&T and GPL. I am cognizant of the possibility that some or all of my suggestions may already be part of the operational framework of the council and so I present them with no offence or disrespect intended.
In a previous letter I offered a suggestion on how the city finances can benefit from revenue with the introduction of a congestion tax. That being said I realise that ideas can only work with an appropriate level of willingness in a supportive environment.
Mr. Editor, kindly permit me to share a few more thoughts for consideration. There are at least two areas set aside for parking in downtown Georgetown including one in front of the Stabroek Market and another within the round-a-bout bounded by Guyana Stores, Fogarty’s, and Muneshwer’s. Apart from those designated parking lots vehicles park at the sides of the public roads sometimes obstructing the free flow of traffic.
With the council seeking ways to expand its revenue collection base, I think that every effort should be made to explore all avenues towards achieving that goal.
Having looked at the experience of some countries there are a few ideas that I can think of that the council could examine for feasibility. For instance, the Stabroek car park; maybe a fee (by vehicle category) could be charged for using the round-a-bout by Fogarty’s as well as for any underutilized land which the council could prepare for the purpose of open air or garage parking.
Business persons who would require daily use of the park could be asked to pay a monthly fee, while other users would pay either by the hour or for any other stipulated period.
Another aspect of revenue collection has to do with the placement of “No Parking” signs which seem to spring up arbitrarily in the business area. I do not know if the council has to give permission for these signs to be painted, but if its approval is required then it is only fitting that the applicant be made to pay for this facility. In some places commercial businesses purchase “Park and Shop” tickets which they give to their customers as an incentive.
I believe that the city treasury should receive part of the fines for parking violations in areas within the council’s purview. I alluded previously to the issues of enforcement capability and lack of appropriate sanctions to which I wish to suggest that in addition to a collaborative framework of the national police and the city constabulary, persons failing to make timely payments should be met with additional fines and made to bear the administrative costs incurred.
Owners of vehicles abandoned or left in an inoperable condition on a city street for more than a stipulated number of hours should be made to pay a fine or the cost of its removal.
Another aspect that the council may wish to examine is the issue of idle or inactive stalls beyond a certain period. All attempts should be made to determine the reason(s) for inactivity or apparent abandonment with a view to reallocating to any waiting applicant. Transient and roving vendors should be asked to pay an annual renewable registration fee before being permitted to conduct business in the municipal markets. This category of revenue needs to be monitored stringently due to the opportunities for abuse. Further, in collaboration with to the Bureau of Standards (weights and measures), City Hall could define an arrangement where the City Treasurer collects part of the fees for calibration, sealing and licensing of weights and measures (by capacity) used in the municipality. Such an arrangement would of necessity take into consideration all fines in respect of any fraudulent practices relative to weights and measures.
Mr. Editor, I believe that there are sufficiently knowledgeable and responsible citizens who can – with input, and willingness make things turn around and work for the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown.
Patrick E. Mentore

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