The parking meter project is not the answer

Mar 02, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Pressed for the need for more finance, the Mayor and Town Council embarked on the parking meter project. The way this project came into being and the economic circumstances of the country would render it as something really ill-advised.
Even though the Mayor and Town Council possess the authority to make such decision consultations should have taken place. When you are elected you have an obligation toward the people, and as such projects of this magnitude should have inputs from a cross section of the society. That from the inception the project was shrouded in secrecy with many draconian clauses does not auger well for its survival.
Clauses of the treaty give too many rights in the lease and can prove to be a hindrance to future development. For instance charges for the parking meter will impact on the prices for the acquisition of an item: it will consist of the price of the commodity/service plus the cost of parking. Some popular business places will be avoided, and it would be found more convenient and economical to relocate. Over the long run the need for doing business in the city will be avoided.
A due diligence and cost benefit analysis should have been undertaken so that all the ramifications of this project could have been properly understood and the necessary adjustments made. Due to the lack of the above, we see that the functions of the police have been compromised; we see controversy erupting with territory; we see utter bullyism in the seizing of vehicles and conditions of resale where the vehicle ownership is changed. The town council is trying its best to have a Vatican city where a state operates within a state. Well we must say thanks to the by-laws of chapter 28:01 as used by the council.
The recent budget has imposed extra charges on the populace where extra is paid on school fees, vehicular charges (fitness, licence and insurance) and many commodities and services. With no commensurate increase in income your real income declines and people are made worse off. The parking meter is regressive, particularly on the poor people as they are the ones who will be most affected by the ridiculous charges of SMART CITY SOLUTIONS. For the last elections the coalition won by a slender lead. It can be safely said that Georgetown made the difference. As such the Government cannot take a hands-off approach. For all you know it might be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Nazir Mohamed
AFC Region 2

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