INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS representing Guyana in the US$100 million parking meter case brought by Smart City Solutions (SCS) were in Guyana to conduct interviews with potential witnesses.

The lawyers from the United States law firm, Foley Hoag, met with Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, last Thursday at his Carmichael Street, Georgetown, office.

“The lawyers were in Guyana to interview potential witnesses for the legal proceedings. In this regard, many persons who played a relevant role in the transaction were interviewed. The legal proceedings are continuing,” a release from the AG’s chambers noted.

SCS, a Mexican Company, which was contracted to establish a parking meter system in the capital city in 2016 had filed proceedings against Guyana before the International Centre for Settlement of Investments Disputes (ICSID) in Washington DC.

ICSID is an international arbitration institution established in 1966 for legal dispute resolution and conciliation between international investors and countries. ICSID is part of and funded by the World Bank Group, which is headquartered in Washington DC.

Party representatives for the claimants in the case are the law firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in the United States and Fraser, Housty and Yearwood law firm in Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Government of Guyana has retained Foley Hoag and Associates, alongside the Attorney General’s Chambers.

In June 2022, Argentine international lawyer Marcelo Kohen was appointed as the arbitrator for the proceedings. An arbitrator is an independent person officially appointed to settle a dispute.

It was in 2016 that City Hall, under the then Mayor Patricia Chase-Green while the APNU+AFC David Granger-led coalition government was in office, signed a contract with SCS to implement a parking meter system in Georgetown.

Installations were happening throughout the city, and staff training for the new parking meter regime.
However, the initiative faced immediate backlash and saw massive protests against its implementation.

Citizens contended then that the fees were too high and placed undue financial burden on the populace. Others argued that the awarding of the contract lacked transparency.

Public pressure forced a suspension of the project. Throughout the process, however, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), while in opposition, argued against the awarding of the contract and rolling out of the parking meter system.

The APNU+AFC was voted out of government in 2020. Patricia Chase-Green is no longer Georgetown’s Mayor, and the city’s then-Town Clerk, Royston King is also no longer in the employ of the city.

Nandlall had previously said that it is unfortunate that the citizens are left to deal with the consequences of decisions that were made by officials who do not have to deal with the penalties of their decision.

“It is a complete and utter waste, and unnecessary use of taxpayers’ money for a case that is due to the reckless decision that was made under the previous administration.
Those who made the decision and are responsible are no longer there to answer for the decision. But the people of Guyana now have to shoulder that burden and it’s unfortunate, but it’s the duty of our government to defend the country,” the AG related.