First parking meter arrives in city Contractor insists the rate $125 for 15 mins parking
By: Shenice Blackman, Jun 30, 2016 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....for-15-mins-parking/
The first parking meter arrived in Guyana on Tuesday. It is now available for demonstration at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Avenue of the Republic.
Tiffany Porter, an employee with Smart City Solution provided a demonstration yesterday on how the parking meter system will work and how people would be billed.
When asked about security, she stated that the machine is not one that uses actual cash. Instead it uses a debit card which can be bought at gas stations around the city.
Ifa Kamau Cush and two employees of Smart City Solution
The meter would be charging $125 for 15 minutes of parking. Persons can purchase more than 15 minutes of parking. Remaining parking minutes will be rolled over. A week ago, Mayor Chase-Green said that the final costs for using the meters are still being negotiated. She was certain that the drivers would definitely not have to pay $500 per hour as is being reported.
However, the Smart City employee sang another tune yesterday.
The controversial parking meter project is expected to be implemented by September. Despite objections from the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Finance, the Council appears to be pushing ahead with the project.
An employee demonstrates use of parking meter to a concerned citizen
It has been disclosed by Mayor Patricia Green-Chase and Chief Executive Officer of National Parking Systems, Ifa Kamau Cush, that although NPS and its partner, Smart City Solutions, will set up the parking meters, Council will be tasked with training and employing 100 Guyanese to maintain the system. The document evidently endorsed by Smart City Solutions boasted that the project will provide more jobs and reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Once the operation commences 20% of the proceeds will go to City Hall, while the remaining 80% will go to the investors. However, the investors are the ones who would be responsible for the maintenance of the meters.