What is best for Georgetown?

Paid parking is an important parking management strategy that contributes to ease of

access and movement for pedestrians and vehicles in high traffic areas. There are several parking management strategies that can be implemented by municipalities, such as remote parking and shuttle services, paid parking garages, improved walking and cycling facilities and many others that could allow affordable and alternative means of parking for persons in the city. Paid parking allows a municipality to manage on and off-street parking while also incentivising alternative modes of transportation. But such a system must be mutually beneficial for all stakeholders involved if it is to work.

In January 2017, when the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), implemented paid parking, the move was met with some opposition by members of the public who questioned its affordability as well as the perceived lack of transparency with regard to the single sourced contract. The controversy over the parking meter system finally warranted

Government’s involvement in order to ensure that the outcome of the project is one, which benefits all stakeholders.

Government believes that considering the needs and views of the people is a tenet that Municipal bodies should place as an utmost priority. At the swearing in ceremony for Mayors and Deputy Mayors at State House on March 30, President Granger in his address said that Inclusiveness is a key concept in local governance one which is stated in the Constitution. “Article 71 (1) of the ‘Constitution’ states: Local Government is a vital aspect of democracy and shall be organised so as to involve as many people as possible in the task of managing and developing the communities in which they live… I urge them to ensure that citizens have an input into decisions which are likely to affect their well-being,” he said.

The Parking Meters

While the idea of paying to park in city centres might be new to most Guyanese, access to adequate, safe parking areas is an important part of urban planning and cannot or ought not to always be free. According to a report by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Parking management strategies, particularly pricing, leads users to “economise” when it comes to parking. Many drivers will shift to different modes of transportation, will drive at different times of day, or may combine trips. These actions help to reduce traffic congestion, roadway costs, pollution, and more.

A studied look at traffic management in the city of Georgetown, easily illuminates a number of problems illustrated by haphazard parking of vehicles, particularly during peak hours, which impedes ease of access, contributes to the threat of road accidents and encroaches on walkways meant for pedestrians.
That there is a need for a solution, which involves paid parking, is hardly debatable. However, the introduction of paid parking in Georgetown has received opposition from sections of the public for a variety of reasons.

The M&CC awarded a contract to Smart City Solutions Incorporated (SCSI) in June 2016 for

the installation of parking meters in Georgetown. The project had been pursued by City Council as early as 2006, but had not come to fruition. Mayor of Georgetown, Ms. Patricia Chase-Green later that month at a Press Conference, announced that the Council had met with Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan and provided him with a copy of the contract and supporting documents, while outlining the Council’s right to proceed with developmental works for the Local Government Authority they oversee.

Both the M&CC and the contracted company pushed the benefits of the project as easing congestion while M&CC said that the project would bring in much needed revenue for the cash strapped body. Government paid close attention to the unfolding of the project while noting the concerns of the public. From the inception, President David Granger acknowledged the autonomy of the M&CC, a democratically elected body voted for through the Local Government Elections. However, the President encouraged the Council to pay close attention to national interest and involve the people in the decision making process every step of the way.

On the July 21 episode of The Public Interest the President said that the public needed to be assured that consultations were conducted with all stakeholders. “For every major measure that will have an effect on the residents of Georgetown, corporate residents, private property owners, there must be information and communication. They should be directing and not dictating. I am simply asking for the process to be open and transparent so that people know what decisions are made by the Council,” the President said.

Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan said that while there is some agreement on the need for the parking meters, Government had also advised the Council that the rates for parking were too high. “It helps to restore order to City streets. It helps to reduce pollution. It increases the security. It makes traffic management and traffic flow easier but the main concern is the question of rates. It is considered to be too high and too burdensome. It is one I expressed to the Council,” the Minister said.

In December last year, SCSI began its installation of 157 parking meters, which accounted for 3237 parking spaces around Georgetown. In January 2017, paid parking took effect with the cost for parking set at $50 for every 15 minutes. And while this cost was significantly lower than the initial $125, the $50 fee, which amounted to $200 per hour was still considered too expensive as persons parking for eight hours a day while at work would be required to pay $32,000 in monthly parking fees.

This did not sit well with some members of the public, and resulted in protest action being launched outside City Hall soon after its implementation, and a subsequent push for the boycott of the parking meters. The protestors called for the project to be revoked citing the lack of transparency and due concerns that there was no public tender or feasibility study.
The publication of the parking meter By-laws, which prescribed draconian charges for parking misdemeanours and gave Smart City Solutions certain powers relating to their operations, was cause for further concern and protest. The Mayor and City Council, however, continued to press ahead with the project.

Government’s warranted intervention
Government, maintaining its policy to avoid dictating to the Mayor and City Council, was forced to call a high level meeting with Mayor Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King to ensure that the voices of the people were being heard. Following that meeting, President Granger said on The Public Interest said that Government was not satisfied with the general provisions of the parking meter project and added that controversies could have been avoided had there been more consultations with stakeholders by the City Council before venturing into the agreement. “We feel that there was simply not enough communications with the other partners and civil society. We feel that was injurious to the character of the final contract. I believe if a procedure had been followed in which there was wider advertising, there could have been a different outcome but as I said, we have not double guessed the work of the Council and it’s a matter for the Council to decide,” the President said.

At the meeting held on February 8, President Granger made it clear that Government would not overrule the democratically elected Council since his administration had pushed for Local Government Elections and the proper functioning of local Government arms while in Opposition and placed it front and centre on its agenda when they took office. Instead, the President encouraged the M&CC to reengage with civil society and the business community to come to a consensual solution.

Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan, who also attended the meeting, acknowledged the usefulness of the project but stated that the rates were too burdensome and hinted that Government suggested to the Mayor a possible reduction of the rates. “The position of the Central Government was a very respectful one from the part of the President. He assured the Municipality that it is not the desire of the Central Government to intrude or to usurp or marginalise the authority or the independence of the Council. In fact, he was at pains to assure the Council of his commitment of recognising the authority of this democratic institution as created by our Constitution. Nonetheless that there is significant public concern and I think without seeking to dictate to or seeking to dominate what should obtained in the Municipality, I believe that the municipality was encouraged to engage in further dialogue with some of the affected stakeholders,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Chase-Green following the meeting said that the Council was willing to go back to the negotiation table and to have further consultations with stakeholders with a view to moving forward. The Mayor defended that the project was aimed at garnering much needed revenue to pilot the transformation of the Capital City.
Other governmental oversight included a review of the parking meter by-laws by Attorney General Mr. Basil Williams S.C., who following that review referred to the fees as too burdensome though they were not unlawful. But even after the meeting, and after City Council began some consultations with members of the business community and other stakeholders, tensions continued to rise and protestors continued to call for the parking meter contract to be scrapped.

In early February, private citizen Mr. Mohendra Arjune secured an order from then, Acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards for the Mayor and City Council to show cause why the agreement with SCSI should not be scrapped on several grounds. The By-laws were also challenged in court by the New Building Society via an affidavit, which claimed that the parking meters badly affected that financial institution’s customers and employees.
As these concerns continued to mount, Cabinet was forced to take definitive action and an order of suspension of the parking meter system By-laws for a period of 90 days was passed down. Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon during Post Cabinet Briefing said that Cabinet considered financial aspects of the contract and the concerns of citizens, which necessitated the decision.

Cabinet’s first Order was at first objected to by the M&CC through written correspondence by the Town Clerk to Minister Bulkan after seeking legal advice. However, a new Order was signed by the Minister of Communities and the Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan was tasked with ordering the Commissioner of Police to provide protection to citizens and their vehicles from being unduly hindered or restrained in any way, either by the Council or the parking meter company.

Recommended measures
Meanwhile, experts within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure have said that while charging users for parking could generate revenue that can finance other services, it is vital that the various political, institutional and technical obstacles are resolved with the measured involvement of stakeholders. Head of the Traffic and Transport Division in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Mr. Patrick Thompson explained that paid parking is best implemented as part of an integrated parking management programme as part of an overall strategy to reduce congestion and improve the urban transportation experience., Paid parking is usually implemented together with an upgraded public transport system so that the option of parking outside of the paid parking zone and riding a bus to one’s destination is both practical and affordable. Other options also include parking garages and improved facilities for walking and cycling to make this a viable alternative

Mr. Thompson said that the Ministry has contracted the services of LOGIT Transportation Engineers to conduct a parking census in the central business district. The data collected show that long-term parkers are a majority and, therefore, their needs must be adequately addressed. He added that a combination of the data collected and focused stakeholders consultations will help to inform the development of an integrated parking management plan. The overall results of the Sustainable Urban Transport Study for Georgetown including the parking management plan will be presented in a report to the Ministry by July 2017.