The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) requesting that a Consultation Forum between the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and the private sector, as promised, be convened immediately to address the parking meter system, which is expected to be implemented by September.
The Chamber in a press release today reminded that before any binding arrangements are made, due diligence must be performed, and that includes the consultative process, stressing that the private sector must be provided with basic information regarding the parking meter system; “and we must also be given an opportunity to provide critical input and recommendations.”
The release further stated that “we are also deeply concerned about the M&CC’s failure to follow proper public procurement procedures in the form of an open tender process to attract various proposals that will be best for Guyana.”
It is the GCCI’s expectation that the M&CC would operate on the principles of “transparency, democracy and accountability,” and as such, anticipate a timely response to what is deemed an “urgent matter.”
The Chamber expressed that its members are made up of businesses of all categories, all of which will be unjustly and adversely affected by the parking meter system due to the costs.
On Friday, July 1, 2016, The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (GCCI) Executive Management Committee sent correspondence to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), requesting a meeting to discuss the pressing matter of the introduction of a Parking Meter System in Georgetown.
The organization informed that during a meeting with the M&CC on June 3, 2016, the proposal for a Parking Meter System in Georgetown was mentioned and it was promised by the M&CC that before this arrangement is finalized, there would be a number of consultations held with the stakeholders of this project, one of them being the private sector.
” As Guyana’s leading private sector business support organization, the Georgetown Chamber has a responsibility to serve as an avenue of information and communication between government agencies and our members,” the statement highlighted.
Further, it was noted that following the June 3 meeting, there have been numerous stories within the media in furtherance of the parking meter system which includes rates and details of the agreement between M&CC and a collaborating company – “all of which cannot be verified due to the lack of communication between the M&CC and primary stakeholders.”
Since the announcement of the implementation of the parking meter system there have been mixed views, with some sections claiming that citizens would be disadvantaged. There have also been specultations that there may be an element of corruption regarding the project.
