“Alarm Bells”: AG Nandlall Vows to Block Parking Meter Return Amid Battle for City Streets
By: Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The war of words between Central Government and City Hall has reached a fever pitch, as Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, issued a stern warning to Mayor Alfred Mentore over his recent “threat” to reintroduce parking meters. Nandlall, speaking on his program Issues in the News, dismissed the Mayor’s revenue-loss claims as “misconceived” and warned that any attempt to impose a parking meter contract on citizens would face “serious legal consequences.”
The clash follows the government’s recent move to gazette 57 city streets as public roads, a decision the Mayor has branded a “hostile takeover” designed to bankrupt the municipality.
The Parking Meter “Falling Out”
During a recent interview on the program Sources, Mayor Mentore suggested that with the municipality losing control of major revenue-generating corridors, the Council is seriously considering revisiting the controversial parking meter scheme to fill the fiscal void.
- Mayor’s Logic: Mentore argued that the takeover of streets like Regent, Robb, and Camp, which host lucrative billboards and vending spots, strips the city of its “financial lifeline.” Parking meters, he suggested, would be a necessary fallback to manage congestion and generate autonomous income.
- AG’s Rebuke: Nandlall slammed the suggestion, reminding the Mayor of the “public outrage” that killed the initial Smart City Solutions project in 2017. “This should ring alarm bells for every resident,” Nandlall stated, adding that the government would not sit by and allow a repeat of a project that “burdened the people for zero benefit.”
Jurisdiction vs. Ownership: The Legal Battle
The Attorney General moved to clarify the legal standing of the street takeover, which was formalized through ministerial orders signed by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill in late March.
- “The State Owns the Land”: Nandlall argued that the roads have always been state property. The government, he said, is merely shifting “supervisory jurisdiction” from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to the Ministry of Public Works under the Roads Act.
- Public Service Mandate: The AG insisted the move was not politically motivated but born out of necessity. “It is not our desire to run City Hall, but we cannot allow the city to remain in a state of neglect,” he said, citing the Council’s failure to maintain drainage and road surfaces.
- Fiscal Independence: Rebuffing claims of “choking” the city, Nandlall claimed the government would “be most happy” if the Council could manage its own finances effectively, but emphasized that the state must step in when basic service standards are not met.
The US$100 Million Shadow
Central to the government’s opposition to parking meters is the ongoing legal fallout from the previous failed contract.
- The International Lawsuit: Guyana is currently awaiting a final ruling from an international arbitration tribunal (ICSID) in a case brought by Smart City Solutions. The company is suing the state for US$100 million in damages following the suspension of the 2017 project.
- The Liability Warning: Nandlall warned that if the Mayor attempts to enter a new contract that imposes further liability on the national treasury, the laws of Guyana will ensure that those responsible are “held personally liable to compensate the state.”
A City in the Crosshairs
As the M&CC prepares its legal team to fight the reclassification of the 57 roads, the standoff highlights a fundamental breakdown in local governance. For the citizens of Georgetown, the battle isn’t just about who owns the asphalt, but about whether they will once again find themselves at the center of a costly and controversial parking dispute. With a final ruling on the US$100 million lawsuit looming, the Attorney General’s message is clear: the streets may be changing hands, but the parking meters are staying in the past.
