Latest update January 27th, 2026 1:30 AM
Outrage over pastor-driver parking clash
– Mayor says no exclusive parking rights granted to Brazilian church
Kaieteur News – Workers attached to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Tuesday cleared the pavement at the corner of Charlotte and Wellington Streets, after a heated standoff between a pastor of the Universal Church and a driver went viral on social media.
The out-of-control Brazilian pastor who attempted to block a Guyanese citizen from parking on the city pavement
The video shared with multiple news sites on Facebook showed a pastor attached to the Universal Church located at Charlotte and Wellington Streets threatening a driver after the man parked in front of the church. The enraged pastor charged at the driver and accused him of parking in a space reserved for the church. Kidackie Amsterdam who later identified as the driver in the video told the press that the situation exposes the need for regularisation of parking spots in the city. “I was the person involved in my humble opinion this is a matter that needs to be followed by the media. The issue of parking and non-parking is an aggravating one. The video demonstrates what kind of aggravation and situation which can arise out of the situation.”
Shortly after the video went viral, the City Engineer’s Department was promptly deployed to the location and cleared the area of all encumbrances found on the city parapet. In a statement released via Facebook, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) sought to remind the citizens that no permission is granted for the placement of “No Parking” signs or any form of encumbrances on city parapets, roadways, or public spaces. The city council urged residents and businesses to comply with its regulations to ensure order, accessibility and the safe use of public thoroughfares. City Mayor, Alfred Mentore in a follow up statement clarified that the Universal Church was never granted any special concession for reserve parking spaces. “… Let me make clear, this council has never given the Universal Church any parking, the Universal Church has never applied to this council for them to have any reserve parking space by this council,” the city mayor clarified.
The parapet in front of Universal Church cleared by the council after a heated staff off with a pastor and driver went viral
The Mayor expressed concern and disappointment that the pastor acted out of character. “So, it is very erroneous for the pastor to speak so vociferously about reserved parking and to appear to have reserved parking or have reserved parking from this council. I was very disappointed when I saw the pastor behaving with such anger, acting outside of the norm.” Mentore said that he was happy that city workers were able to act swiftly to remove the encumbrance and signs.
“We will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the area is cleared that anybody can park at any time. And we want to make it clear that we have never stopped use of the pavement and that we will never consider giving that concession especially with how the pastor behaved,” Mentore added.
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