Public Service COI Report, controversial projects take centre stage in National Assembly tomorrow

Nov 03, 2016 News

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Members of the political Opposition will have their turn tomorrow to raise matters they deem to be of national importance and have them considered by the National Assembly.

Up for discussion this time around will be the report on the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service and two controversial projects; namely the Durban Park Development Jubilee Project and the Parking Meter venture.
Scheduled to move the motion on the Public Service COI report will be Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira.
According to her motion, the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service was appointed by President David Granger on August 17, 2015. It was expected to examine, advice, and report on the salaries, conditions of service, training and other matters pertaining to the improvement of the efficiencies of the performance of the public service and the well-being of the public servants.
Teixeira in her motion notes that the report on the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service was tabled in the National Assembly on May 24, last.
Teixeira wants this report to be placed on the Order Paper for a Sitting of the House before the next recess so that its contents can be debated and recommendations made.
As regards the motion on the contentious Parking Meter Project, this will be moved by Opposition Member, Irfaan Ali.
In his motion, Ali notes that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, represented by the Mayor and Town Clerk, have entered into a contractual arrangement with a company (Smart City Solutions) for the installation of Parking Meters in

Georgetown.
He noted however that the Mayor and City Council has held no public consultations with national stakeholders or the citizens of the city. As such, the Parliamentarian states, “the citizens of Georgetown and those who drive into, and, must traverse through the Capital to reach other areas of the country, have appealed to the Mayor and City Council to abandon this parking meter project because of the financial hardships it will inflict upon the people.”
He goes on to state that the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Communities and the Ministry of Legal Affairs, has reviewed the parking meter contract and found that the contract may have violated tender procedures; that the contract is too much in favour of the parking meter party and that the cost is burdensome.
Ali said that the Mayor and some councilors, in the face of the public opposition, have been adamant that the project will proceed. He also noted in his motion that the company contracted to implement the project has been proceeding, full steam ahead with its implementation plan, with aggressive promotion, importation of equipment and the hiring of staff.
The Opposition member is of the firm belief that there are many legal hurdles and protocols to address, including the yet unresolved critical issue of whether the Mayor and City Council has authority over public roads such as Regent Street, Water Street and Avenue of the Republic.
He said, too, that there are other legal issues involved with granting policing authority to a private company.
Given the aforementioned, Ali wants the National Assembly to call on the Auditor General of Guyana, Deodat Sharma, to immediately conduct a forensic audit into the Georgetown Municipal Council, including the Parking Meter Contract.

The former Housing Minister told Kaieteur News yesterday that his motion will also be a test on the integrity and morality of Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.
“I think this motion will test the credibility of the politicians in the Government’s camp. AFC members, particularly their Party Leader, Ramjattan, had called for the project to be recalled, publicly advertised and to be investigated. This motion is seeking to do just that; bring transparency. So it would be very difficult to see Ramjattan not supporting this motion on Friday. It will be a test of his credibility, ethics and morality,” he said.
As for the Durban Park Development Jubilee Project, this will be taken before the House by PPP Executive Member, Juan Edghill.
In his motion, Edghill says that no public disclosure or consultations were held with the citizens or national stakeholders. The Parliamentarian said that architectural designs and overall projected costs for its construction and completion were not made public.
Importantly, Edghill goes on to state that Supplementary Financial Paper No. 1 of 2016 provided for an additional $407.6M from the Contingency Fund on this project. He said, too, that the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, during the scrutiny of this Supplementary provision, was unable to provide the National Assembly on August 8, last, with the final costs of the project, or information on the funds raised and materials etc., donated prior to his April takeover of the project.
In the interest of public accountability, transparency and good governance, Edghill wants the House to call upon the Government to make full disclosure on several fronts.
He wants the Government to disclose the names of the individuals and the private organization who were in charge of this project from its inception to the April takeover by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure; the donors and their contributions in cash and/or kind who contributed to the initial phase and completion of the Jubilee Durban Park Development Project; the list of contractor/s and the process of procurement used to secure those engaged. He also wants the Government to reveal its plans for the sustainable use of this facility.

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