— Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman

Intervention by Government in the parking meter controversy would not be expected at this point in time since the Executive has made it clear that it will only do so if it is absolutely necessary.
This was according to Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference on Thursday at the Ministry of the Presidency.
“No,” Trotman said, when asked if Government is likely to intervene, given the rejection of the parking meters by sections of society.
He said City Hall is an autonomous body, and it should be allowed to function with the autonomy mandated by the Constitution.
He added that Government continues to take note of the situation, and while there are some empty streets, it is too early to draw a definitive conclusion on the matter.
Further, the minister said that Government is aware and has observed protests and picketing at the early stages of the implementation of the project – one he says many believes to be unpopular.
“But I believe as time progresses we will need to hear from private sector, and a number of voices before Government even considers weighing in on the matter,” the minister told reporters on Thursday.
Speaking to the fact that the Executive has not recused itself from the matter entirely, Minister Trotman said it is an issue which has been ongoing for a number of months and Cabinet has examined it both from a financial and a legal standpoint.
He said two reviews have been presented, one from the Ministry of Finance and the other from the Attorney General’s Chambers, and in both cases, recommendations were made.
“So Cabinet has not at all removed its interest in the matter,” he said, adding that at the same time, local democracy has to have a level of autonomy to see its way.
He pointed out too that President David Granger accepts and recognises that this is the Capital City. As such, he noted that Cabinet will continue to observe and only intervene if it feels it is absolutely necessary.
Asked whether he believes enough consultations were done, Trotman contended that consultations are never enough and there will always be groups that believe they were omitted.
However, he noted that the idea about the parking meters has been a live one for many months.
“And I believe we need to wait to see how it will be implemented. I believe the visual of empty streets says a lot and that the peoples’ voices are not to be ignored, so time will tell. The Council is a democratically-elected one and they make decisions which are not only in its best own interest but in the interest of the people,” he said.
Paid parking in the City took effect on Thursday, with several cars being wheel- booted by City Constabulary for not adhering to the by-laws which require drivers to pay $50 for 15 minutes of parking at identified spots.
There have been widespread rejection of the parking meters and many have described the fees as “burdensome.” On Tuesday evening, disgruntled citizens staged a protest outside of the residence of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, expressing their frustration.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has rejected the introduction of these meters outside of schools. While Smart City Solution – the company contracted to manage and operate the meters – has said that they are prepared to offer reduced prices for teachers, this was rejected by the union which is calling for complete removal of the meters in front of schools.