City Hall blocks shippers’ vehicles from leaving wharves ...unless they pay “road usage fee”

City Hall blocks shippers’ vehicles from leaving wharves …unless they pay “road usage fee”

Jul 20, 2016 News

City Police blocked John Fernandes trucks from exiting the wharf until the company paid a “road usage fee” for each vehicle.

During the course of yesterday, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) blocked two shipping companies’ trucks from leaving their respective wharves.
Speaking to this publication, Assistant Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick stated that City Hall is imposing the City Bylaws under sections 273 and 274.
Jerrick maintained that the M&CC is going to implement day-to-day operations of this nature. She continued that there is a fee attached to vehicles that exceed a certain weight, and that traverse the city roads.
The Assistant Town Clerk was on the ground at Robb and Water Streets, where City Constabulary ranks blocked the street in efforts to stop trucks of John Fernandes shipping company from exiting the area.
Jerrick noted that John Fernandes subsequently cooperated and paid its due fees. The company’s trucks were then allowed to pass as a result.
Jerrick identified Robb Street, Industrial Site Road and Water Street as municipal roads that the M&CC will be imposing “weighted vehicles” fees on. She continued that as City Hall continues to impose the fees, other municipal roads will be identified.

One of the trucks at Muneshwers that was prevented from leaving the wharf. At right is the barricade set put up by City Police

According to Jerrick, City Hall stands firmly with the proposed container parking fee of $25,000 and the “road usage fee” is in conjunction with the container fee, as it also stands at $25,000 per vehicle.
She said that the imposition of these fees are not a personal attack on any shipping company, but will be a continuous operation around the city.
The M&CC contingent then moved to another shipping company’s wharf, Muneshwers Ltd. There they cordoned off Muneshwers wharf exit at Church and Water Streets.
Robin Muneshwer, the Manager of Muneshwers Ltd, in an interview with Kaieteur News, said that Constabulary ranks just showed up and placed barricades around the exit of the wharf. He continued that “no one told us anything”.
Attorney at Law, Mark Hanoman who represents Muneshwers Ltd, stated that the law City Hall is trying to invoke is “vague and uncertain. It cannot be enforced and would never be upheld in court.”
Hanoman said he will advise his client to not pay any fee and that the company will seek legal action.
This latest move by City Hall comes less than two weeks after the proposed $25,000 “Container parking” fee was thrown out of court.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News