Phase two of metered parking in Georgetown remains on the table, Town Clerk Royston King says amid a public outcry for the Mayor and City Council to scrap the deal inked with Smart City Solutions (SCS) and court action seeking to have the contract quashed.
Even though there is no definite date, King said plans are already on stream to roll out the second phase.
Currently, King said they are using phase one of the project to measure the strength, weaknesses and effectiveness of the project. So far he said since the rolling out they have made changes and amendments to the project. In this regard, he said they have been able to gain direct feedback from persons who have used the meters. The city has been silent on the returns from the controversial paid parking over the last six weeks amid a widespread boycott by motorists. The 20% returns to the city from the project would likely be far below original projections.
King stated that they have also been able to hold a number of consultations with stakeholders from the commercial arena and these are continuing.
“We are getting to consult more with the people so that when we roll out phase two we would not have some of the challenges we are faced with in phase one,” he explained.
Since the rolling out of the metered parking in the central business district, hundreds of citizens have voiced their disapproval in weekly protests.
During the introductory period for the parking meters it was announced that in the second phase which was scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2017, approximately 163 meters would be installed to cover 4,000 spaces.
The first phase saw the installation of approximately 157 meters covering 3,237 spaces. The meters are operational from Monday to Saturday, from 7 am to 7 pm.
Members of the public from all walks of life have been calling for the deal to be revoked.
City Councillors, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan who has been a vocal critic of the contract from the inception and Deputy Mayor-elect Lionel Jaikarran both of the AFC arm of the coalition government and PPP/C Coun-cillors Khame Prakash Sharma and Bisram Kuppen have also been a part of the weekly protest.
Currently, there are two court actions in relation to the parking meters.
On March 2nd, Justice Brassington Reynolds ruled that the court has the jurisdiction to hear the case filed by Mohendra Arjune, a conveyancing clerk attached to the Cameron and Shepherd law firm. Arjune through his lawyer Kamal Ramakarran had filled for judicial review of the contract.
The New Building Society has mounted a legal challenge against the city’s metered parking by-laws, which it says are illegal and a judge has since ordered Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to show cause why his decision to approve the by-laws should not be quashed.
