THE Georgetown Mayor and City Council has implemented a Parking Meter System in parts of the city. The purpose of this meter may have been informed by two major factors, which are: regularising vehicular parking and revenue-earning. Much has been said– some not without merit– about the introduction and handling of the system.In the first instance, the introduction was not without conflict, even among the City Fathers and Mothers, which reinforces the appeal made on this page to conduct training for local government officers, elected and appointed, about the Local Government system, including the processes, implementation of by-laws, and their role in the structure.
Then there was the placement of meters, where a picture was captured with one installed in an area surrounded by water, and several installed in front of schools. The Guyana Teachers Union led a protest calling for the removal of those by the schools and Smart City Solutions, the organisation responsible for the system, responded affirmatively.
Initial controversy about ownership of the organisation and the parking costs – though efforts were made to positively reposition these from continuing conversations and actions — the reactions remain mixed. Recent announcements by central Government on how VAT should be charged and the legality of the by-law, added to valid concerns about the project.
None can deny that the City Council has to find revenue to execute its works. Though in large part revenue comes from rates and taxes, its abattoir, daycare centre, and yearly budgetary allocation grants from central Government, such cannot suffice in realising and ensuring the management of a modern city.
The present rates and taxes are outdated and in addition to this, ratepayers are defaulting, seemingly unconcerned that in so doing they are also contributing to the city not being able to provide basic and improved services. The present financial crisis at City Hall should not absolve it however from poor fiscal management,which includes extravagance by its administrators, elected and appointed.
The original idea of sourcing additional funding to manage the city — as was proposed during the mayor-ship of Hamilton Green to run a lottery — was denied. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government stole the idea, allowed the Canadian Lottery to establish a lottery here, and had the proceeds channelled to central Government. The APNU+AFC administration may find it useful to revisit this and look at ways of sharing the revenue with the Council, given that it was the intellectual author of the idea but was denied the benefit from its establishment.
The tendency to want things without having to pay for it is not unique to Guyanese, though it may seem to be prevalent. This notwithstanding, the concerns by citizens that the city council is in a partnership where it gets only 20 percent of the revenue and 80 percent goes abroad is not without legitimacy. This has given rise to questioning whether national pride was not a factor in influencing decision-making and the project designed to milk the people for the benefit of a few. Had the City Council placed its ears to the ground or engaged stakeholders on this project, through public meetings and otherwise, feedback would have served them well. Now that central Government had cause to weigh in on how VAT is to be charged and the legality of the parking meter by-law, such will give greater rise to legitimate speculation –and suspicion — which in our society is easy to plant, germinate and become overrun. There are established rules and guidelines in preparing laws, including by-laws, before they are considered lawful, and the present situation should not have occurred were attention paid to these in the first instance.
Whereas local government authorities have the autonomy to make their own laws, i.e. by-laws, there exists no autonomy to do this outside of the procedures guiding law-making and implementation. The Minister of Communities may find it necessary, now more than ever, to ensure adherence to established principles in government– be it national, regional or local– to ensure the premise that birthed the existence of government is being sustained.