MAPM continues protest action; reiterates call for complete revocation of parking meter contract

The Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) is calling for the ‘start over’ of the process involving the Parking Meter Project with a feasibility study, tendering and all other proper processes applied.

According to the Movement, some collaboration with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure could be in order since the Ministry is working on a traffic study with funds from the IDB.

On Monday (April 10, 2017) while the Mayor and Councillors were being sworn in the Group held a peaceful protest outside City Hall, as it has done since the inception of the “controversial” Project.

The MAPM said the protest was intended to remind all Local Government Officials that nothing less that complete revocation of the contract and its by- laws would be accepted by the citizens, who would suffer if a project of this nature is introduced in the manner in which it was being implemented.

The Movement believes that the three months suspension is inadequate. ” Even though they have suspended the project, we are not interested in a suspension, we will accept nothing less that total revocation of the parking meter contract. We don’t have a problem with parking meters, we have a problem with the contract,” one MAPM representative commented to the media.

An Indian businessman, who was very vocal during the protest said ” we are totally against the parking meter, I think they haven’t done a fair deal on this. I think they should be more transparent and inform the people what is really going on.” He added further that many persons have taken loans to purchase vehicles and do not earn much and the “green monster” would only add to their burdens.

Representatives of the Movement are also contending that the consultations would not improve things since the entire procedure is illegal.