Vehicular parking on the right side of Carmichael Street, from New Market Street to Lamaha Street has been banned by the Police Traffic Department and no explanation has been provided to the management of Scotia Bank, whose customers face the most inconvenience.
Over the years, the bank’s customers had been able to stop their vehicles in the area now being declared a no-parking zone. Taxis could also have let passengers out anywhere along that part of the street. If they do so now they risk being placed before the courts.
And to ensure that none of this is done, the Police Traffic Department has established a booth a few yards away from Scotia Bank’s entrance. A police officer is present there during business hours of each working day, but not at weekends.
The front of the Scotia Bank compound where it had demarcated slots for parking has also become part of the new no-parking zone.
Stabroek News posed the question to the bank’s management, who had no idea why the area was changed to a no-parking zone. Scotia Bank Marketing Manager Ricardo McKlmon said the management was surprised with the police’s recent move, as in the past they had not found parking outside the bank an encumbrance.
McKlmon said the bank was informed by the police that they had received instructions to make the area a no-parking one and then a rank was placed there.
Asked whether the new rule has reaped complaints from customers, McKlmon said yes adding that the customers saw it as a grave convenience.
However, he said the bank has since assigned security officers to ensure that customers do not try to park in the area by mistake.
“So the security would indicate to them that the area is now no-parking and advise them that they could be charged if the rule is not observed,” he said.
However, he said he was interested in knowing the reason behind the traffic department’s action.
Days of trying to contact the Traffic Department to discern the reason behind the area being declared no parking, and when the order to this effect was passed, have proved futile. This newspaper was told on countless occasions that the traffic chief was either unavailable or at a meeting. No calls were returned, even though contact numbers were left with a female receptionist.
However a police source informed Stabroek News that the area was found to be clustered with traffic and since it was close to the back entrance to the President’s residence – State House – it had to remain clear. The source said that part of the street poses a traffic hazard whenever the presidential convoy used the rear entrance to the residence. The source concluded that this might have been why such an instruction was passed.
