City parking meter contractor Smart City Solutions (SCS), already facing intense public criticism over the manner in which it has entered the local market, was quick to distance itself yesterday from public statements made by one of its directors, Ifa Kamau Cush.
Cush on Thursday made several derogatory comments to opponents of the metered parking project on Facebook.
Asked to provide a copy of the contract entered into with the city of Georgetown, Cush told one individual: “You’re not progressives. You are freeloaders. You lack the intestinal fortitude to control your own destiny. You all possess the mentality of slaves, indentured servants, incapable of generating wealth and building capacity.”
He further declared that “those of you with the mentality of slaves and indentured servants pay to park without a mumbling word in the United States and the United Kingdom. However in Guyana because you lack the responsibility of citizenship you prefer to live in squalor and backwardness. Fortunately you are in the minority for most Guyanese citizens are committed to modernising our country.”
His comments were widely shared and criticised yesterday, prompting SCS Managing Director of Business Development Amir Oren and Managing Director of Operations Simon Moshelle to issue a press release condemning his statements. Attempts by Stabroek News to contact Cush proved futile as calls to his phone went unanswered.
He, however, yesterday stood by his comments. Posting on his Facebook page, Cush wrote, “I stand firmly behind my comment about the slave mentality among the protestors. That is my personal opinion. I did not utter those statements on behalf of Smart City Solutions.”
Cush’s pride in his comments were not shared by SCS, which described them as “utterly obscene and despicable.” It added that it wishes to disassociate itself completely from the “disgraceful” statement issued by Cush.
“This statement was issued without knowledge and authority of Smart City Solutions. Mr Cush neither speaks for nor represents Smart City Solutions” the company explained.
In defending his comment, Cush claimed that protestors against metered parking represent a “cabal of misfits” who add no value to the productive capacity of the country and who also offer no solution to the myriad of problems facing Guyanese.
Cush, whose National Parking Systems (NPS) had originally held responsibility for the controversial project, served as a lead player in its conception until he was swept aside in September last year after NPS merged with the “international consortium” SCS.
SCS had explained at the time that a major Mexican company, with American Oren as the key investor representing the company, had gained control of the SCS and that while Cush would remain a director he was no longer involved in operationalising the project.
Yesterday SCS further stated that it “fully recognise[d] the democratic right of all persons and organisations to express their views, disagreement with and, indeed, protest against any matter. Smart City Solutions is entirely (committed) to freedom of speech and assembly.”
This statement followed widespread criticisms of all aspects of the project. Two well attended silent protests were held in front of City Hall against the project, with the first seeing SCS staff and some city councillors engaging in a counter-protest, which Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan referred to as disappointing.