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Govt calls for more parking meter consultations
The government believes that there needs to be more consultation done concerning the parking meter project before any advice is given on the matter. The issue continues to engage the attention of Cabinet, according to Minister
Persons protesting against parking meters last Thursday.
of State Joseph Harmon.
The Minister was responding to questions during the post Cabinet press conference, yesterday. Harmon said, “I can say to you that it is in fact a matter which cabinet is concerned about; that cabinet basically believes that we should continue to have consultation with stakeholders so that we can arrive at a position that is beneficial to all parties.”
Harmon said that at the last Cabinet meeting the matter arose and there was an agreement to allow additional levels of consultation before any final advice is given by the state on the matter.
“We are still in the process of discussions and I believe as soon as it arises at a certain point, we will make that determination as to what the involvement of the government is in this arrangement.”
Asked whether Government was satisfied with the steps made by City Hall following concerns raised by government, Harmon said that consultation remains incomplete and that government still needs to be satisfied with some matters relating to the contract itself and the way the matter is being dealt with.
“At the appropriate time, once the government is satisfied with all of the information before it, then we will actually make a decision in relation to the City Council itself; because it is a contract between the City Council and a private investor, and therefore the government’s involvement is to look at it in a holistic way and to advise the City Council as to what the government’s position is.”
Four weeks ago President David Granger and a number of Cabinet members, including Harmon, met with Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King to discuss the project and its implementation.
Granger had said that the government is not inclined to assume authority of the Council or to interfere in its work as a democratic institution. Granger told the Mayor and Town Clerk that no one in the Cabinet was opposed to the need for congestion to be eased in the City.
He said that Cabinet agrees that the project could be helpful for raising revenue for the municipality but only to the extent that it is not harmful to the public good. He added that there must be a way forward, for the municipality, government and people of Guyana that is satisfactory to all parties.
Present at the meeting was Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan who urged that there must be dialogue between stakeholders so that a consensus can be arrived at.
Members of the Movement against Parking Meters during their six weeks of protest have suggested a more participatory way of moving forward whereby citizens become a part of the decision making process.
The inclusivity seems to be the preferred way forward, however the government and the MAPM are still speaking different languages since the group is calling for the revocation of the project and for it to go to tendering and consultation.
On the other hand, Government has not mentioned that revocation is an option. The contract signed between City Hall and Smart City Solutions is valid for 20 years and can be renewed for an additional 20 years.
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