The parking meters are here

Jan 28, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

As of Tuesday January 24, drivers began paying for parking in certain sections of the city amid massive protests by members of the public. The new administration at City Hall and the national government have been in office for less than two years. However, both administrations have much in common. Neither one is listening to the public. For them, public opinion does not matter. Both are consumed with scandals.
The City has ignored the protests and criticisms from the public and the business community and went ahead with the installation of the parking meters.
It is a contentious issue at City Hall and a sour point to the citizens of Georgetown. The fact that senior city officials including the Mayor and Town Clerk went on a trip to Mexico and Panama that was paid for by the company to examine the installation of parking meters without a technical person is both suspicious and troubling.
The installation of the parking meters flies in the face of the recommendations made by both the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to rescind the contract after a thorough examination of it. As reported, only minor changes were made to the contract despite the fact that both Ministries found it to be heavily in favour of the company. It is for a period of 49 years with the City getting 20 percent of the revenue collected.
Many, including the Private Sector Commission (PSC), claimed that the installation of the parking meters would not be helpful to the struggling businesses in the city. The PSC is very concerned as to the impact the meters will have on businesses within the city, in particular on their employees and customers. It appears that neither the central government nor the City administration is cognizant of the problems faced by the business community.
The AFC, which is a minority party, in the coalition government has also criticized the installation of the parking meters; a signal of its disagreement with the majority PNC councillors at the City Hall. The AFC leader has pleaded with the government, in particular the Minister of Communities, to rescind the contract. He made it clear that he has supported the position of the Deputy Mayor and AFC member, Sherod Duncan. Duncan was suspicious of the project from the beginning and has not taken kindly to it.
He questioned the capacity of the two companies, Smart City Solutions (SCS) and National Parking Solutions (NPS) to undertake and execute such a huge project, given the fact that there is no concrete evidence that they have done so before.
Despite the criticism and a recent public opinion poll which found that an overwhelming number of city residents have strongly opposed to the installation of parking meters, yet the installation continues. It seems that the Granger administration has taken a hands-off approach on the issue. However, many have questioned the motive of the city’s drive to install the parking meters at a time when the economy is struggling, businesses are failing and jobs are scarce.
The impropriety and secrecy surrounding the parking meter contract shows that something is awry with the project. The fact that national procurement procedures have been by-passed and that the City will only collect $200 out of every $100 shows that the contract is flawed. It would have been more acceptable to the people had the City received $80 and the parking meter company gets $20, or at least a 50/50 split.
The parking meters are not a value added service to the public. They are an indirect method of taxation and an added burden to the public.
In an age when many countries are moving away from expensive parking systems and are using more affordable options, the City’s decision to install the meters suggests that the matter was not well thought out.

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