Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan on Tuesday evening, signed a new Order to effect the suspension of the Parking Meter Project as of today for a period of three months.

Noting that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council had failed to act on the previous Order following legal opinion, the minister said, “It appears that there was some ambiguity and the legal opinion that was proffered was that if the Council proceeded on the basis of that Order then it would be a decision of the Council… The Council did not seek to proceed on the basis of executing what it understood clearly as a Cabinet decision to withdraw this paid parking project. Instead it sought a way to frustrate the decision of the Cabinet and this is why I have expressed public dissatisfaction with the action of the Council.”

Minister Bulkan added that the new Order is unambiguous and leaves no room for discretion on the part of the City with regard to conformity, the Ministry of the Presidency quoted him as saying.

“This is a done deal and on the basis of this new Order, the Council would be clearly advised to inform the company [Smart City Solutions] that paid parking would be suspended. The company would be invited to enter into negotiations and at that stage it would be up to the company to determine what its response to this new action of the Government would be,” he said.

In addition, at its statutory meeting on Tuesday Cabinet directed Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan to ensure that the Guyana Police Force provides protection to citizens and their vehicles from being unduly hindered or restrained in any way, either by the Council or the parking meter company.