Parking meter fiasco...NO LAWYERS WERE PRESENT DURING CONTRACT SIGNING -Mayor

Parking meter fiasco…NO LAWYERS WERE PRESENT DURING CONTRACT SIGNING -Mayor

Feb 15, 2017 News

While it is not imperative to always have lawyers present during the actual signing of contracts, most legal minds would advise that this be done in any scenario that puts a country’s resources at stake.

AMBASSADOR JIANCHUN SHARING HIS VIEWS WITH OFFICIALS OF CITY HALL

In the case of that infamous parking meter contract, it was clearly done with little legal supervision. This was even admitted to by Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green. “I never said that there were lawyers present at the signing of the contract,” she said.
Because of this lapse on the part of the Mayor and Town Clerk, residents of Georgetown are more at risk of losing even with, or without the burden of parking meters. The contracted company on the other hand, Smart City Solutions (SCS) stands to gain much either way.
Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, Attorney-at-Law, Shaunella Glen maintained that while not necessary, it would have been prudent for the Mayor and Town Clerk to have their lawyers present at the signing of that very controversial parking meter contract.
“In cases like this, it is important, because it seeks to protect the interest of the government,” an interest that eventually trickles down to the most important stakeholders- the taxpayers.
The lawyer declared, firmly, that the officials of City Hall, in this case Mayor Chase-Green and Town Clerk, Royston King, erred by not ensuring the presence of sound legal minds during the initiation of the questionable parking meter project.
“They should’ve had their lawyers there even during the negotiations. This would’ve saved time, instead of now having to engage the courts,” Glen argued.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Cui Jianchun, yesterday met with Mayor Chase-Green and Town Clerk, King. Improved partnership and the assistance that can be extended to Guyana in the area of science and the environment were discussed.
At this point, King sought to highlight to the Ambassador the benefits that the solar powered parking meter will have on the environment.
Mr. Cui began to explain the traffic woes of his birth place, particularly in the city of Beijing. He was quick to point out, though, that in his country of more than 1.3 billion people, there are restrictions on the importation of vehicles, as well as the skyrocketing price of parking. The parking arrangements of China, a country that even has restrictions on human reproduction, can hardly be compared to what exists here in the land of many waters, occupied by a mere 774,407 persons.
After the meeting with Chase-Green and the Town Clerk, the Ambassador mentioned the need for measures to be put in place to ease the garbage and traffic congestion in the city. He was subsequently questioned on the likelihood of any Mayor of his country, opting to sign off on contracts that can potentially hold a city, and by extension the country, at ransom.
Sticking to his diplomatic title, Cui said that it was not his place to interfere in the Guyana’s internal matters.

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