As the public protest over the metered parking system entered its seventh week, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure yesterday pointed out that meters were placed along streets that do not fall under the City Council.
“…the Ministry wishes to clarify that it has not entered into any agreement neither has it given permission to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown nor Smart City Solutions to erect parking meters along the aforementioned public roads. The public should be guided accordingly,” it said in a statement issued yesterday.
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, when asked last evening why this information was only now being made public, stated that it was for the sake of clarity and was an advisory to the public, as several queries on the matter had been received.
Patterson also stated that the ministry would be taking no action in regard to the matter, although he noted that according to law, the Chief Roads Officer, who operates under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, is the only person authorised to receive tolls on public roadways.
The ministry’s statement included a list of roadways that are considered public and therefore fall under the purview of the ministry, in accordance with the Roads Act. Among the streets identified were Water Street and Camp Road, both of which have operational meters.
Also included were Battery Road and Barrack Street, both listed in the Georgetown Metered Parking By-Laws as streets that fall within the designated parking zone.
The other roads listed by the ministry were Clive Lloyd Drive; Rupert Craig Highway; University of Guyana Access Road; Sea Wall Road; Young Street; Fort Street; Vlissengen Road; Irving Street; Station Street; Duncan Street; Thomas Road; Sheriff Street/Kitty Avenue; Ruimveldt Avenue; Houston Bypass; and Eastern Highway.
