Dear Editor,
I traveled around Georgetown this week querying from the business community about any impact of parking meters on their business. Every business person, including coconut, fruits and vegetable stands, sweet meat and other vendors, claimed their business is down at least forty percent since the clamps on vehicles were enforced a couple of weeks ago. This is in addition to the decline in business resulting from the downturn in the economy over the last two years.
The situation has worsened as a result of the enforcement of the parking meters. During the relief in parking meter enforcement last week, most businesses said they saw a return to almost normal business operations and receipts. However, this week, when the mayor announced the restoration of enforcement of the clamps on vehicles not paying the parking fees, business has gone down again to an average loss of 40%. As many said, “business is dead”. Some said they can’t recover costs of operations and will have to lay off staff.
Most workers I spoke with in Georgetown said they will take measures to evade paying the high parking fees. So the parking meter company and the city will not see the kind of revenues they anticipated. The City Council and the central government need to rethink the parking meter controversy that has been killing private businesses.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
