Some APNU+AFC constituency councillors to vote against parking meters contract

Some APNU+AFC members of the Georgetown City Council who earned their seat through the Constituency system have told Stabroek News that they are prepared to end the life of the Metered Parking contract when the council meets today.

At the heart of their decision are questions about whether Town Clerk Royston King overstepped the boundaries of his office and entered into the contract without the approval of council.

“I have not seen the minutes which authorized the town clerk to sign this contract. I don’t know if it exists and will ask for it to be made available. In the mean time I will be voting that we cancel the entire contract and start afresh or not go at all,” Councillor Gregory Fraser, of Constituency 8 (Wortmanville/ Werk-en-Rust/Stabroek) told Stabroek News. Fraser who was a member of the previous council explained that he does not remember voting on any motion in relation to this contract adding that a thorough check of his own records has failed to unearth any mention of the contract. The vast majority of the APNU+AFC members represent the APNU section of the governing coalition.

While Fraser, an APNU councillor is willing to boldly revoke the contract other APNU councillors are more cautious.

Councillor Akeem Peters of Constituency 5 explains that while he believes all of the recommendations speak towards revocation of the contract he will be voting for the fifth option which would defer revocation until the High Court rules on the legality of the contract.

“My constituents want the contract to be revoked and I will be going with option E since it is the way to cover all the bases and protect the council from any fallout,” Peters explained.

City Councillor Junior Garrett who represents Constituency 3 was not prepared to disclose his vote. A member of the “fantastic four” who visited Mexico and Panama last year in connection with the parking meters deal, Garrett noted that he is well prepared to participate in the discussion of the report.

“I have my presentation to make. I don’t want to preempt anything. Tomorrow I will make my presentation and say everything if I am given the chance,” Garrett whose signature appears on the revised contract told Stabroek News.

Monica Thomas, constituency 9 who asked last month for discussions on the report to be postponed, told Stabroek News that she is ready to participate today. She explained that she has read and is comfortable with her understanding of the report which she referred to as excellent however she is not sure how she will vote.

Thomas stressed that she is looking forward to the meeting and intends to listen carefully to the presentations from other councillors.

Meanwhile, Lyndon Hilliman of Constituency 6: Cummings Lodge North, Central & South, Pattensen/Turkeyen South remained supportive of the metered parking.

Though he is yet to read the report, Hilliman noted that he is open to an adjustment of the contract and looks forward to a proper compromise being reached today.

“I am not working [today] so I will spend the morning going through it [the report],” he explained.

While the APNU councillors appear divided, the three AFC councillors are all certain of how they will be voting.

“This has been going on long enough, it is time. It’s getting down to the meat of the matter,” Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran said of today’s meeting.

Jaikarran who was elected to represent Constituency One (Kingston/ Queenstown) said that while he has read the reports submitted by the review committee and is ready to vote he has only been provided with an agenda which provides for “discussion” alone.

“We should be going to vote but I don’t know if that will happen,” Jaikarran said. He however refrained from stating exactly which of the five recommendations he will be voting for.

Jaikarran’s reticence might be nothing more than a formality since his party, the Alliance for Change (AFC) has publicly stated that its councillors will be voting for the revocation of the contract.

The other two AFC councillors have also clearly indicated that they will be voting for a revocation of the contract.

Sherod Duncan who represents Constituency 14 has noted that his reading of the report