The parking meter debacle

Dear Editor,
AS a motorist in Georgetown, I have been following the parking meter debacle in Georgetown from its very inception with considerable concern and interest.

The most recent episode of this sordid spectacle however did bring to the fore a very salient point, through a concern expressed by one of the councillors who was recycled from the previous council that lasted for an unbelievable 21 years. And that very important point is that all through this wretched parking meter debacle, the town clerk keeps talking about the initiative having the fiat of the previous council which was under the stewardship of the then mayorship of Hamilton Green, but to date he has not produced any evidence, documented or otherwise, that such approval was obtained.

If such an approval was not obtained then this parking meter initiative was dead on arrival, as the town clerk has not the authority, to commit the council nor to enter into any contractual agreement on behalf of the city for any arrangement that will cost the City Council and/or the citizens of Georgetown any amount that exceeds $250,000 Guyana Dollars.
Additionally, the Review Committee seemed to fail to recognise the fact that if indeed any such arrangement was approved by the last Council, AND WE THINK NOT, then it had to be implemented during the life of the last council, just as what obtains with parliament.

It would have been highly improper for the town clerk to try to implement a project that was approved by the previous council, during the life of the new council, without bringing it back for approval by the new council. This is of course on the assumption that it was approved by the last council.

In the interest of exactitude, detail and fiscal rectitude, I call on all City Councillors representing Georgetown, all members of the media, the members of the Movement Against Parking Meters, the attorneys that are looking into the matter and all concerned Guyanese to demand to be shown the signed and approved minutes of the meeting of the council that the town clerk claims to have approved the arrangement with Smart City Solutions, before there is any further movement on this project.

It would seem as though this reprehensible parking meter project and all the problems it has created have been sitting on one big fat falsehood.

Regards
Sean Moniz

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