THE controversial parking meter project being executed by Smart City Solutions with the full backing of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council will continue even as the matter engages the court’s attention.
On Monday, Justice Brassington Reynolds rejected an application by Attorney-at-Law Kamal Ramkarran which sought to have the project put on hold until a substantive case, which is before Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards,is completed. Last month, Justice Cummings-Edwards granted an ‘Order Nisi’ to quash the decision of the City Council and Town Clerk to enter into a contract with Smart City Solutions, unless they can give just cause why it should be so. The application was filed by Mahendra Arjune through his Attorney,Ramkarran.
Ramkarran had argued that the order granted by Justice Cummings-Edwards should have acted as a stay against the Mayor and City Council moving ahead with the parking meter project. However, when the matter came up on Monday, Justice Reynolds told the Court that Order of Rule Nisi is not a stay of the proceeding, and as such the application to have interim relief from the parking meter project was rejected.
However, the substantive matter will continue on March 20. In the substantive case, Arjune, through his lawyer Ramkarran,is challenging the legality of the contract signed between the Municipality and Smart City Solutions. Last Thursday, Justice Reynolds ruled that the case will proceed after the Town Clerk, Royston King, through his attorney Roger Yearwood, on February 27. 2017, had filed a jurisdiction application questioning whether the case filed by Ramkarran on behalf of Arjune for the project to be quashed, could be heard in the High Court under the new Civil Procedures rules.
Justice Reynolds after hearing submissions from both sides ruled that the High Court continues to have jurisdiction to hear the case of the parking meter project and the operations of M&CC to impose penalties and fees on people, who wish to park their vehicles in the city.
The contract gave the company exclusive rights to conduct paid public parking within Georgetown and includes the installation of parking meters. But the project has attracted a lot of controversy and public debate with members of civil society calling for the terms and conditions of the venture to be rescinded.