June 29, 2016 Source

President David Granger on Monday said that central government’s support for the city’s measures to make itself financial sustainable would rest on transparency and the public’s interest.

“… As long as those measures are transparent and they are approved by the council and that they are in the national interest, I’m sure that the central government will lend its support,” Granger said during an address to the city council.

Granger was at the time touching on the city’s financial woes and he said it must aim to become a sustainable city and, in particular, financially sustainable.

Although he did not refer to the city’s signing of a controversial contract to introduce parking meters, his comments were seen as a reference to the issue, over which several councillors, including Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, have voiced concerns.

Duncan, a vocal critic of the proposed arrangement for the parking meters, yesterday declined to comment on the way forward for him on the issue.

Stabroek News asked Duncan whether he would be tabling a no-confidence motion or would support the project once there is transparency. “I’m gonna go with ‘no comment,’” he responded.

The city, under the previous council, signed a contract to install parking meters across the commercial district as a means      of revenue generation.

However, several councillors of the present council have raised questions about details of the contract signed between City Hall and the contractors, National Parking Systems (NPS) in collaboration with Smart City Solutions (SCS).

Under the controversial deal, it has been proposed that $125 be charged per 15-minute rotation. However, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Ifa Cush, Chairman of NPS, have indicated that there is currently a negotiation of the proposed rates, which he said would be less than $500 per hour.

After grave concerns, including over the rate that is proposed and that the city would only get 20% of the revenues, were raised by councillors and stakeholders, the President had asked Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to examine the contract. Currently the contract is being reviewed by the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

President Granger had said, “It is a burdensome amount for any person. Rich or poor, it is a high amount of money to pay. I am concerned that’s why I said the Minister of Communities had been asked to examine the contract.”

Chase- Green, asked if the project is currently on pause since it is being reviewed by the Attorney General, responded in the negative.

Duncan had used social media platform Facebook to voice his concern about the company undertaking the project.

Duncan wrote that given the “total lack of verifiable information on the company and its capacity to execute the scope of the project and the absence of a contract on the proposed project, I cannot offer my support and reaffirm my grave reservation of such a venture.”

Granger, during his address on Monday, seemed to subtly rap councillors for publishing their opinions.

“You represent 2,800 citizens and you have to listen to them. Sometimes you’re tempted to speak for yourself, but speak to them first and find out what their views are before you attempt to (publish) your opinions… So you are here as representatives of the citizens and each one of you has a constituency and those constituents speak only through you,” he declared.

Following the President’s address, some of the councillors commented on his presentation.

Duncan said the president’s visit to City Hall was timely.

“I think it’s what we need and I support the vision he had for the city and I would encourage fellow councillors to adopt it,” he said.

PPP/C councillor Bisham Kuppen told Stabroek News he believes it was probably a good thing since there were so many concerns raised by councillors and a wide cross-section of society about the parking meters and the vendors’ relocation.

“I was hoping for a more direct message regarding the parking meters. I supposed he did not because the contract is being reviewed by the Ministry of Legal Affairs,” he noted.

Team Legacy councillor Carolyn Caesar-Murray said that she was delighted to have the president at the meeting. She also stated that the entire council requested to see the contract signed for the parking meters but has not been able to do so. Caesar-Murray said that she and other councillors would pursue having the contract presented to the council to ensure it is in the best interest of the people of the city.

Alfred Mentore, an APNU+AFC coalition councillor, said that the president’s speech was informative and he said he gathered that central government would still be overlooking the operation of city council to ensure the right decisions are made.

He noted that the council has autonomy but needs to stand on the pillars of accountability and transparency.