SCS joins legal challenge against parking meter contract

Mar 21, 2017 News

Justice Brassington Reynolds yesterday granted an application by Smart City Solutions (SCS) to be listed as a respondent in a legal challenge between the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC) and Mohendra Arjune.
Arjune, through his lawyer Kamal Ramkarran, had filed an action against the M&CC, seeking an order to quash the contract between SCS and the Council.
The matter was called in Chambers before Justice Reynolds at the Georgetown High Court yesterday.
On the last occasion, via Attorney Stephen Fraser, the Parking Meter Company had applied to the court to be named as a party in defence of the parking meters.
Following a brief hearing yesterday, the SCS was granted permission to join the action. As a result, the company is set to file an affidavit in response. The matter is scheduled to come up before the judge again on April 10.
The M&CC signed the contract with Smart City Solutions (SCS) on May 13, 2016.
The contract gave the company exclusive rights to conduct paid public parking within Georgetown and includes the installation of parking meters. But the project has attracted a lot of controversy and public debate, with members of civil society calling for the terms and conditions of the venture to be recanted. Many described the project as nothing short of burdensome to the citizens of Georgetown.
In February, Chief Justice (Ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards granted an ‘Order Nisi,’ to quash the decision of Mayor and City Council and Town Clerk to enter into a contract with Smart City Solutions (SCS) Incorporated, unless the council could give just cause why it should be so.
The court ruled that the amendments must be made to the establishment of parking meters in the city of Georgetown with Smart City Solution Inc., and all the things thereafter which flowed from that decision unless the defendant, Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC), showed cause against quashing the decision.
The Court also granted an order nisi to quash the decision by the M&CC to empower the Town Clerk to sign and operationalise contracts with SCS Inc. for the establishment of parking meters and all acts of things done or caused to be done or flowing from the decisions of the M&CC and the Town Clerk, unless reason is given against rescinding that decision.
The order was granted to cancel the agreement by the M&CC and anyone acting on their behalf, except persons or categories of persons paying fees for parking in the city of Georgetown and being subject to penalties of such.
The M&CC is therefore instructed to show cause why that decision should not be quashed.

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