WITH concerns mounting over the operations governing the metered parking system, the Alliance for Change (AFC) is calling for the implementation of the project to be suspended until pertinent issues are addressed.

The party which shares executive power with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) articulated its position in a statement to the media on Tuesday. “…with regard to the publicly expressed concerns, the party strongly implores the M&CC [Mayor and City Council] to suspend the implementation of this project…” the statement read.

AFC said that it recognises the autonomy of the M&CC as the duly elected representatives of Georgetown and the M&CC’s legal right to regularise parking in Georgetown and raise revenue to better manage the affairs of the city.

However, the party is calling for the local government body to reconsider pertinent aspects of the Ministry of Finance’s review of the project and seek a second independent review of its contract with National Parking Systems (NPS)/Smart City Solutions (SCS) – the companies contracted to manage and operate the parking meters.

After several issues regarding transparency of the project surfaced, the Government requested both the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers to examine the contract between the M&CC and NPS/SCS. The Ministry of Finance’s review pointed out that if, under the arrangements the tender and procurement procedures were breached, it was enough for Government to void the contract.

And according to the party, the absence of a competitive bidding process and other practices, “do not appear to be in the best interest of the people of the city”.

“The party therefore registers its serious concern with regard to the handling of this project from its inception to its current stage, but specifically in terms of the lack of sufficient prior public consultation; the absence of transparency and of a competitive bidding process; the seeming lack of proper planning with regard to exemptions and the pricing and penalty structures” the AFC noted.

The statement pointed out too that available documentation suggests that the municipality may have “overreached its authority” on a number of matters, including taxation arrangements, traffic arrangements and road ownership.

As such, the party said it views this with “alarm” as it does the apparent “exclusivity and monopolisation” of paid metered parking in the city.

Additionally, AFC expressed that while it is neither supportive nor against the implementation of paid metered parking in Georgetown, it has been monitoring the implementation of the joint venture project. Having observed the developments, the party noted that it has raised its concerns through Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, but is concerned that the implementation has advanced without much compromise.

Duncan, who has protested this parking meter project, has said that while he is not opposed to the idea of having parking meters in the capital city, he could not support this particular project, which, since its inception, lacked transparency.

He said that the project could not be supported for several reasons, including the fact that the contract was signed outside of the purview of current council, and it was never sent to tender.

The current contract provides for the private companies to receive 80 per cent of all revenues generated from paid parking, while the M&CC will receive the remaining 20 per cent.

The cost for parking is $50 + $8 Value Added Tax (VAT) for 15 minutes, which can be purchased using a GeoPark parking meter card which varies in price. But Duncan, who contends that this cost is too high and should be reflective of the minimum wage and cost of living in Guyana, has been supported by the ‘Movement Against Parking Meter’ group, which staged a peaceful protest outside of City Hall on Friday.

Meanwhile, NPS/SCS and M&CC have commenced implementation of the project and have been charging drivers who park on the demarcated spots without paying for those spots. However, many are contending this is illegal since the by-laws governing the metered parking system has not been approved by the Attorney General (AG) nor Cabinet.