Dear Editor,
We continue to be amazed by the many different stories which are being peddled in certain sections of the media and other places about the installation and operation of parking meters in the city. To be honest, we have no problem with the current debate, and public conversation on this new municipal innovation. In fact, we welcome it because it accords us an opportunity to tell the truth about this project, which has enormous potential to re-shape not only the cityscape but the general culture of the city.
However, the installation and operation of those meters are just small components of a wider system designed by the council to properly organize the city. Our objective is to redesign and modernize the capital in a way that allows it to be efficient culturally, socially environmentally and economically; it must stand shoulder to shoulder with the great cities of the world. This requires a new mindset; the way we think about Georgetown. It demands that the city government ‒ the Mayor and City Council ‒ rethink the use, conservation, protection and sustainable development of its resources. These include human resources, water, and space.
Perhaps, the most important resource is space because nothing can exist outside of it; everything exists inside. Mostly what the city has to offer is this resource ‒ space. At the level of the city, all of our activities from the cradle (Maternal and Child Welfare) to the grave (cemetery), focus on creating, developing and designing, renting, giving and leasing space.
A substantial portion of our laws deals with the good management of this resource. It is a scarce resource that has been taken for granted for generations, in Georgetown. It is also, collectively owned by all the citizens of Georgetown. They were born into it; they pay taxes for its maintenance; they have a legitimate right to access it. If a private individual or group of individuals, a company or corporation wishes to use public space for business or any other private enterprise, then citizens could be denied rightful access to their space. Therefore, such private enterprise or business must adequately compensate citizens for using their space. This must be done through their local governments.
For ages, in Georgetown, individuals and corporations have been taking up public space without even offering adequate compensation to citizens. For example, many big businesses have concreted portions of our alleyways and other drainage infrastructure without permission, making those portions impervious and facilitating overtopping during heavy rains. Others have appropriated parapets, pavements and other thoroughfares making it very difficult for ordinary citizens to use those facilities. In some cases, senior citizens and children are forced to walk in the face of oncoming traffic on busy streets, just because some individual or company decided that they can do more business by spreading out their merchandise beyond their selling point or boundaries of their legitimate business places.
Then there are those who store shipping containers with an assortment of goods on the shoulders of our roadways for days. These containers narrow the width of council roads and, in some cases, damage the shoulders of our roads and contiguous parapets and street drains. In addition, storage of such containers for inordinate periods of time encourages traffic congestion and inconveniences shoppers and other citizens.
A few businesses are refusing to pay the measly container fee of $2500 per container to the city; many are operating for free while denying citizens the right to use freely their collectively owned space.
Then we have parking. For as long as anyone can remember motorists have been parking for free. In the central business district, motorists just park for as long as they wish, wherever they find space. It is so free and easy that taxi operators, who are registered with established companies with bases and radios, find it more lucrative to park on council roads wherever whenever for free, apparently without a care in the world.
Also, many of the taxi bases are on council’s reserves; the owners pay zero to the council. Yet, the municipality has to deal with all the challenges posed by this so-called free parking including high economic, social and environmental costs to the city and local residents.
Again, there are those who construct large high-rise buildings. In some cases, only the first two floors are used; the other areas are left to waste ‒ empty. Such buildings are a lien on city space. There are other economic and social issues related to such waste of space.
Again, utility companies are using our air space, at certain altitudes, and below the surface of the earth, to install and run cables, conduits and fixtures. And yes, while they make millions the city does not receive one cent from those companies that continue to use our space to conduct their businesses. Of course, one can argue that those utility companies provide services to citizens. But they do that with the intention of making profit; they are running big businesses. It is only fair that they pay the council; they do not.
In essence then, individuals and corporations are using city spaces for private enterprises to make profit without compensating citizens, who are denied access to these spaces.
In the face of it all, the city council is still expected to deal with all the challenges and consequences resulting from the use, misuse and abuse of spaces in the city by private enterprise. Clearly, this is contributing in a substantial way to the poverty of the city. As a result, in this 21st century, Georgetown has a shanty-like appearance. It is disorganized, congested and poor.
In order to reverse this trend, the council must begin to manage city spaces in a way that is beneficial to all citizens; not just private enterprise.
One way in which we can do this is through the installation and operation of parking meters, particularly in the central business district of the city. This will allow, inter alia, a reduction in traffic congestion; improved mobility; an increase in parking space availability; an incentive for people to use public transportation; a reduction in pollution and its attendant evils; the provision of revenue for the city; and a boost in investors’ confidence in the city.
We are aware of the view held by a few that the city does not have to install parking meters to raise money. The trouble is that those very individuals have not been able to suggest practical and viable alternatives by which the council can have the requisite funds to fulfil its statutory mandate independent of central government. And why should a city, with bylaws, which make provisions for it to generate sufficient revenues to manage its affairs, depend on central government or any other agency, for that matter, for money? It simply does not make good sense.
The city provides a plethora of services including solid waste management, environment and public health services, roads, street lighting, and drainage. It is very expensive to provide these services and maintain city infrastructure.
The council must find about $4 million to collect and dispose of its garbage on a daily basis. Again, in 1996, the then Chief City Engineer estimated a cost of one billion dollars to properly desilt the city’s drainage system; it was not done because there was no money; we are in 2016 and still cannot do it because there is not enough money.
Add to that the fact that we have not had a valuation of properties in the city for more than two decades; that many residential buildings which were changed to commercial use are still paying residential rates; that many property owners have not been paying their rates (property rates account for 71% of total revenue of council).
The lack of valuation is really affecting our operations. For example, a typical three-bedroom house, 26x 40, in Bel Air Gardens pays about $60,000 in rates annually. However, the cost to collect garbage from that house, at $300 per 45 gal drum, per day goes way beyond the annual rates of that property. This is just one service. We have not added costs for other services such as drainage, roads, street lights and other environmental and public health services.
Again, add to that the fact that the cost of materials and equipment needed by the council to provide vital municipal services and facilities has increased several hundred per cent since the last valuation of properties over twenty years ago; the effects of climate change and global warming on the natural and built environment of Georgetown; the changing demography of the city; and the increasing burden placed upon the city’s waste management system by consumerism.
Another way is to institute an environmental charge for the use of air and below surface space. In some cases, those companies have to disrupt our roads and parapets to install their conduits. They do not go to the trouble of restoring those facilities; that is left to the council. Another thing, many of these conduits channel materials that are hazardous and obnoxious. Council plays a substantial role in securing the integrity of the health and wellbeing of the city.
It is very clear to us that the council needs to rethink the way it manages city space. Our commitment is to do just that. Encrusted in our commitment is an urgency and awareness of where we want to go as a city. We are confident that as we push ahead in this particular direction not only will we see order, beauty and excellence but also sustainable development, progress and prosperity.
Yours faithfully,
Royston King
Town Clerk
