Dear Editor,
No one can disagree that the Georgetown City Council is in dire need of money to meet its operational and capital programme. The depressing look of City Hall, arguably the most architecturally beautiful building in the Caribbean, remains a lasting shame on the council to manage the affairs of the city. It is clear that the resource base of the council is too narrow and unpredictable to meet its expenditure, which makes it imperative for the council to seek new and creative ways of generating revenue.
The introduction of parking meters has to be seen in that context, but it was the lack of transparency and the high-handed manner in which the deal was struck that resulted in so much criticism and opposition from so many people. The council should make the details of the transaction public, and let citizens have a say on the merits or demerits of the project.
The fees charged seem high even by international standards. Moreover, the percentage of the revenue going to the council does not appear reasonable, as the lion’s share of the takings would be sent overseas, resulting in a net foreign exchange drain.
The government should insist on the need to have the project revisited by competent authorities at the level of the National Tender and Procurement Board to ensure optimal returns on investment, failing which it should either be scrapped or re-tendered.
A project of such magnitude cannot be left for the council to unilaterally determine, having regard to the financial and other implications it would have for the citizens of Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
