Parking meter scandal…Failure to disclose contract affecting City Hall – President Granger

Jun 24, 2016 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

Perhaps the parking meter scandal that has plagued the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) over the past few days is what happens when such entities fail to engage in proper disclosure of commercial contracts.

At least this is what President David Granger alluded to when he spoke with Kaieteur News on Government’s commitment to releasing the contracts of some of the most controversial projects and deals in recent times.
The President emphasised, “I believe in full disclosure and this is the same problem affecting City Hall.”
The Head of State expounded further on this matter as he engaged two members of the media on the show, ‘The Public Interest’ which is produced by Lloyda Garrett.
The Head of State expressed that while he is not privy to the parking meter contract, government has made a request to the M&CC to see the document. The administration has also ordered that the Ministry of Finance and Attorney General’s Chambers examine the contract for any illegalities.
Granger said that he obviously wants to protect the national interest and as such, he is aware that there has been an outcry from the public on the matter.
The President acknowledged that the City Council has enough corporate authority to make decisions for itself, and it is for that very reason, Local Government Elections were held in March, last.
Granger nonetheless expressed disappointment that there are members of the City Council who feel that they have not been consulted on the parking meter issue. The Head of State stressed that the whole purpose of having democratic elections is to have democratically-run councils.
He remarked, “So as far as the government is concerned, we will insist that there is greater transparency. We cannot overrule the council, but we can ask for transparent procedures to prevail in the City Council.”
It was on Monday that top officials of M&CC told the media that regardless of the outrage by some sections of the society, the council will forge ahead with its parking meter contract with the National Parking Systems/Smart City Solutions (NPS/SCS).
In fact, the Council stated that it will create, from September 1, 1,500 parking spaces in the area between South Road and Church Street, and Water Street and Camp Street.
Present at that press conference were Mayor Patricia Chase-Green; Town Clerk, Royston King; Head of the Finance Committee, Oscar Clarke, and other administrative officers of the municipality.
These officials also came under fire for a trip to Mexico and Panama to check on how the consortium was managing the parking meters there.
The issue has been dominating headlines, with Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan saying that he could find little evidence of the two companies and their work.
NPS is owned by US-based Guyanese, Ifa Kamau Cush, who had submitted a proposal since 1996.
Kaieteur News had found that NPS does not have an office at the Park Avenue, Manhattan address that it lists on its website. And there is little information on Smart City Solutions Inc., the company with which NPS reportedly teamed up.
Chase-Green, meanwhile, told the media that it is a shame that some people had to resort to the likes of Google and Wikipedia to search for the address of the company. She said she was satisfied that she visited the company’s locations in Panama and Mexico, and that their work is up to date.
The Mayor declared that she is not going to disclose the controversial parking meter contract. Her excuse was that the M&CC has had painful experiences in the past where documents were leaked, including a proposal by Canadian Bank Note, causing the city to lose. Rather, councilors have the possibility of perusing the contract at the office of the Town Clerk.
Meanwhile, Oscar Clarke on the matter said, “I have no apologies to make to anyone; I getting like Mr. Harmon.” He insisted that the Council’s decision to sign the agreement before going to see the actual product, showed the investors that the City was indeed serious about implementing the parking meters around Georgetown.
The Finance Committee Chairman told the gathering that the only way they could have gone to do the physical verification, was by signing the contract back in November 2015. He informed that the sponsorship of the trips by National Parking Systems and Smart City Solutions was part of the contract they entered into.
According to Clarke, it would have been “unethical” for the contingent to use the finances of NPS to go on the verification trips having not signed the contract.
However, Deputy Mayor Duncan opined that “such levels of arrogance are not only nauseating and sickening, but place Guyana right back to the days of executive thuggery.”
He said, “In this period in our history, people expect us to be more responsive to their concerns, because they elected us to office. They want to see a change. We are supposed to be more inclusive in what we are doing.
“But at no time was the issue of the parking meters put to the council for a vote. I believe that these actions only represent a clear circumvention of the process for ensuring that we secure a package that is free from corruption.”
The Deputy Mayor emphasized that the Council does not consist of only the “almighty” Clarke, Chase-Green and King, but rather, the 30 members who sit at the “horseshoe table”.
He insisted that the new Council must have an opportunity to pronounce on all contracts or projects in the interest of the nation.
The Deputy Mayor insisted that he is going to “stand up for transparency and accountability”, and nothing shall stand in his way of doing so.

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