Amid an increasing outcry over a clandestine contract for parking meters in the city, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan yesterday said that a more competitive process to select the contractor for the project should have been undertaken even as he pointed out that the city would be making a major investment.
With growing questions about the credentials of the contractor, National Parking Systems (NPS)/ Smart City Solutions and an ongoing, still-to-be-explained trip to Mexico by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Town Clerk Royston King and APNU+AFC councillors Oscar Clarke and Junior Garrett, other city councillors yesterday expressed concern. The contract has not been made available to them and the terms of the deal are unknown.
Approached by Stabroek News yesterday, Duncan, who is acting as Mayor in the absence of Chase-Green, pointed out that the city would be making investments in the project. “Cash is not the only currency. We are investing our infrastructure…roads, our security and manpower through our constables, and prime real estate in our city,” he said while emphasising that a more competitive process should have been undertaken.
Duncan, who is an APNU+AFC councillor as is Chase-Green and the majority on the council, was the first member of the council to indicate that he does not support the venture citing the credentials of the contractor and the absence of a contract. At Monday’s statutory meeting of the city council, councillors expressed dismay at not being privy to the details of the contract signed between City Hall and NPS and also seemed shocked when it was disclosed that Chase-Green and several officials were in Mexico for a first-hand look at the operation of a parking meter system. Other City Hall officials were unable to provide details on the contract.
Several councillors said yesterday that in order for there to be transparency, the work of the city council should be in the public.
Carolyn Caesar-Murray of voluntary group Team Legacy said there should have been an invitation to tender. “The city council may not be spending money but they are giving up real estate and rights to allocate those real estates,” the councillor said. She believes that the council should have been given an opportunity to peruse the contract and make an input and said she wishes that such provisions could be made for all contracts. Caesar-Murray highlighted that to date, councillors have not been able to see the details of the parking meters contract which Chase-Green had said was signed last month.
Councillor Malcom Ferreira, who represents Constituency 10 and is also a member of Team Legacy, told Stabroek News that he cannot fully comment on the issue as he is not aware of the contract details. He said the city administration should have provided the councillors with the details of the project to allow them to have their say.
Team Legacy also issued a statement yesterday on the issue. “There are many red flags surrounding the new parking meter system that is slated to be implemented,” the group said. “There are questions about the company, the manner in which the contract was signed and the details of the agreement between the city and the company. Though requested, we are yet to see a copy of the contract,” it asserted.
According to Team Legacy, this goes against the purpose of Local Government Elections. “We, the councillors, are the elected officials. We have been elected by the people of our city, but our efforts to act on behalf of our constituents and the city are being stymied at almost every turn,” the group declared.
“While we understand that steps must be taken to reclaim city property and to improve the city, we believe that stakeholder consultations are necessary. Team Legacy recognises some efforts are being made but the current methods are unacceptable,” the statement said.
Meantime, APNU+ AFC councillor Lionel Jaikarran said there should have been more consultations since the installation of the parking meters would impact the public and citizens of Georgetown. It is ludicrous that the city council never invited more expressions of interest from companies to propose plans on parking meters, he said. Jaikarran declared that as a councillor on the present council, they would be held accountable for the projects implemented and, as such, they should have been consulted.
The APNU+AFC councillor further related that as a councillor, he has never seen a contract signed. He added that he knows nothing of the parking meters project other than what he was told about the decision being made under the previous council. He also expressed disappointment that Chase-Green and her entourage of officials from the previous council had ventured to Mexico unknowing to the council in relation to the parking meters project.
Jaikarran said he backs Duncan’s position on the controversial issue.
Salima Bacchus-Hinds, the councillor from the Benschop for Mayor Team also told Stabroek News that the parking meters project should have been awarded following a competitive process with a well thought out plan of how it was going to be implemented. She said the issue of the parking meters is a serious one and there are questions that need to be answered.
The councilor also expressed surprise and curiosity at the delegation visiting Mexico without informing the council of the reason and need for the trip. She said the management of City Hall needs to improve as there are many issues popping up and councillors seems to be lost.
At Monday’s statutory meeting, APNU+AFC councillor Welton Clarke said it was an important issue. “We never knew what is the reason [for signing the contract]. Were we supposed to know the answers to the questions? There (are) quite a few who makes decision for all of us,” he said.
Stabroek News made efforts to contact PPP/C councillors but the calls made went unanswered.
A source had said that the only persons who seem to be aware of the contract are Chase-Green, King, Clarke and Garrett.
Last month, Chase-Green had announced at the city council’s statutory meeting that a contract was inked with NPS to install parking meters across the city. Subsequently, City Hall later announced that the capital would be divided into two and Smart City Solutions Inc would install parking meters in one section and Astrolobe Technology in the other. However, after that announcement and a presentation by Astrolobe, the city backtracked and nixed Astrolobe from the project. Subsequent revelations have also raised questions about the credentials of NPS and Smart City Solutions.
APNU+AFC holds 25 seats on the city council, the PPP/C 2, Team Legacy 2 and Benschop for Mayor 1.
