Organised parking was settled about 19 years ago – Town Clerk

Jun 18, 2016 News

– Says Parking Meter project is needed since M&CC is struggling to make “ends meet”
Amidst mounting criticisms and accusations from allegations of unfair awarding of parking meter

The Town Clerk of Georgetown, Royston King

contracts, the lack of public consultation and a controversial flight to Mexico, the Town Clerk of Georgetown, Royston King, appears to be steadfast in the implementation of this project.
King via a release yesterday stated that the question of organised parking in Georgetown was settled about 19 years ago by the then Council under the Mayorship of Hamilton Green.
The Town Clerk, who has been facing criticism via letters to news editors, via Social Media, said yesterday that “the fact is” the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) provides a plethora of services and facilities to the citizens of Georgetown.
It must be noted that the Council is barely making ends meet to satisfy the ever increasing demands of the City and questioned, where will the money come from, he added.
The Council is clear and committed to its responsibility; and has no doubt that this project would result in the further development of Georgetown, King stated.
He continued that the Council is aware of the comments and criticism by some about the project and that these criticisms demonstrate two weaknesses.
King said that it is clear from the utterances of some individuals, that they do not have all the information relative to the project. As a result, they are “basically assuming.”
King’s statement did not answer the most recurring questions being asked by these critics. They query whether the company is authentic and who funded the top officials’ recent trip to Mexico.
The Town Clerk in his release stated that the “individuals” who have been criticising have not offered any viable economic alternatives that would allow the Council to have much needed funds independent of Central Government.
According to King, in 1996, there was an open arrangement which allowed the Council to invite proposals for parking in the City. He said that during that time, at least three proposals were received by the Council.
“It was the view and decision of the Council that the proposal presented by Mr. Ifa Kamau Cush and his representatives (National Parking Systems) was the most appropriate. It was around that time that the Council had examined the new arrangements for street vending, to organize the vending community so that some measure of order was evident on the streets of Georgetown.
However, just as the Council was getting ready to sign off on the proposal, the Mayor, Mr. Hamilton Green, received a letter from the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore, which stated that the Government was looking at parking generally and that the Council, should not sign off on the proposal, King stated.
Because of the Minister’s intervention, King said that the Council could not move forward with this area of its responsibility which, he said, is articulated in the Municipal and District Council Act.
King stated that several years ago Mr. Ifa Kamau Cush and a team of investors approached the Council and expressed an interest in working with the City in the area of organized parking.
Cush had told this publication some weeks ago that while his team was doing measurements on Brickdam, Georgetown, that in 1995, he had made a proposal for the implementation of this service.
The then PPP/C government shot down the proposal because the administration lacked “the political will”.
King stated that in 2015, the Council signed on to the contract and gave the green light to Cush and his representatives to work with the Council in this area of its responsibility.
“The incumbent Council allowed for intense debate and deliberation on the matter; the process of selecting the proposals was both transparent and fair.”
“The services to the citizenry must be sustained since the Council is a service-oriented organization. Citizens are aware that there has been no valuation of property for the more than 20 years.
Many property owners do not honour their civic obligation to the City. Further, property rates account for 70% of the City’s income. Therefore, in light of this; Council must find alternative sources of revenues in keeping with the law that governs the Municipality.” King stated.
The Town Clerk said that it is anticipated that the project would bring much need monies to the Council; to help achieve the goals and objectives of the Municipality.
King indicated that the Council is not investing “one cent” and is projected that the City would be able to gain over one million dollars in the first quarter of the project.
The Town Clerk also stated that the project will benefit the City since it will mitigate traffic congestion and pollution to the environment; it will create 100 new jobs for citizens in its initial phase;
It will boost investors’ confidence in the City of Georgetown; and the Council is not required to invest any monies in the project.