By Ramona Luthi
As we await the implementation of the “approved” Parking Meters to be installed along the streets of Georgetown, the lone People’s Progressive Party Councillor on the Georgetown City Council is alleging that the Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green has “fooled” the Councillors into agreeing to the amendments made to the contract.
The Councillor, Bishram Kuppen told this newspaper earlier today, that at the time that the Councilors’ “approvals” were given, even the Deputy Mayor asked Chase-Green to be more specific with her question. Kuppen stated that even at this call, she refused.
After the amendments were discussed at the statutory meeting last month, Kuppen said that the Mayor asked the Councilors “Do you support the city having a Parking Meter System to raise money?”
To this, the councilors unanimously agreed.
However, Kuppen is contending that this agreement was not towards the implementation of the Parking Meters, nor towards the amendments.
“She pretty much tricked us into agreeing to the Parking Meter Contract. Then she went ahead and told the media that there was an overwhelming and full council approval,” he said.
All efforts to get a response pertaining to this from the Mayor have proven futile.
Additionally, another member of the Council, Salima Bacchus-Hinds took to Facebook sometime last month to criticise the Parking Meter Contract and the way in which the initiative is being handled.
“All these shady contracts, secret meetings, secret deals. Guyana is a land of opportunity in my opinion…but your opportunity should not come at the detriment to the citizens and national development,” she related in her post.
On September 1, 2016 she resigned from her position as a councilor within the Mayor and City Council.
