Dear Editor,
There is a feeling among people not living, working or visiting Georgetown that the high costs associated with the parking meters will not affect them. They are absolutely wrong. The parking meters in Georgetown affect the cost of living of the entire country. When the Georgetown business community has to pay for parking in the city, they will pass on the cost by increasing the price in goods and services. Thus, all consumers will be picking up the parking costs.
Unfortunately, the workers in the city cannot pass on the costs and their pay remains the same. They, like the rest of the consumers around the country, are hurt financially.
Similarly, as happened with the VAT on electricity rates (beyond the minimum announced by the government), the entire nation is also affected. The government claims that only 20% of the nation would be affected by the electricity VAT. The government is wrong. As happens with the parking meter charges, the business community passes on the VAT on electricity usage to consumers. The business community never carries the burden associated with conducting business. They always pass it on to consumers and some might even make a profit from it by adding a few percentages. The same is true with the VAT on water.
So the people outside Georgetown should not think the parking meter is not their concern. They are paying for it without even knowing. And it is just a matter of time before parking meters are introduced all over Georgetown, not just in the red zone. And people nationwide should look out for higher costs of basic goods.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bandhu
