COUNCILLORS of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Thursday voted to defer a final decision on the future of the metered parking contract, despite being served the final report on the controversial deal.

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green at a statutory meeting on Thursday suggested that every councillor and member of the public should take the chance to review the report which was compiled by a parking meter negotiation team.

The negotiation team, which comprised a group of councillors, was led by Councillor Malcolm Ferreira.

Though many of the councillors agreed to postpone the vote, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor, Bishram Kuppen, advised them of Attorney General, Basil William’s reminder that the Council does not have the power to extend deliberations.

“Nobody will push my buttons to do anything in a hurry,” said the mayor in response to Kuppen’s advice, noting that she was capable of extending the negotiations by one month and she is free to suggest that the voting be postponed.

Green went on to declare that the report was comprehensive, but more time was requested to consider the particulars before a substantive decision is made.
Councillors agreed to address the report at an upcoming statutory meeting on August 28, 2017.

Members of the Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) were bewildered by the decision. Some of them expressed dissatisfaction with the Council’s decision because according to their knowledge, the deliberations were over.

Prior to the submission of the report, the negotiation team conducted a four-month research to gather the views of stakeholders.

During his official presentation of the findings, Ferreira said many persons questioned the legality of the parking meter contract, which was allegedly done in secrecy.

During the consultation, SCS refused to disclose pertinent information.
Ferreira said they tried on numerous occasions but the company did not divulge any information, in fact, they attempted to make the negotiation team sign a non-disclosure agreement but it was rejected.

“It is unfair that they refused to give us important financial information… they refused to give us information on what was the investment… after trying we decided to leave them out of the discussion because they were sworn to secrecy,” said the chairman of the negotiating team.

“The fact that the accountant’s report raised major red flags, it became necessary to ask SCS to provide verifying documents for the initial capital expenditure (proof of investment), as it is alarmingly unfair for Council to negotiate any deal without having the true and proper supporting documents to arrive at a business proposal that would be beneficial to all involved,” the report stated.

After the negotiations continued, it was discovered that the fees for towing, storage and clamping were said to be “exploitative”.

“Booting seems to have had a nasty negative effect on the psyche of some persons who willingly expressed such at the consultations and with some calling the act oppressive and even slave-like,” said Ferreira, who added that the overwhelming majority of persons consulted expressed the view that the current prices are way too high.

In addition, the team pointed to the need for more improved traffic control and traffic management systems, which would be complemented by garage parking and alternative transportation.

The report also recommended that the M&CC can continue the metered parking with SCS with a renewed contract; discontinue the metered parking with the company and do it with a new contractor; await the outcome of a pending court proceeding on the subject matter; or continue the metered parking independently.