M&CC shows ‘gross disrespect’ for Chief Justice’s Court Order

• as Parking Meter fiasco escalates

The Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green has signaled, publicly, that on Monday 20^th February 2017, the City Council will resume the implementation of the parking meter system in the City. This is despite the fact that the Chief Justice (ag) halted the implementation of the highly controversial and scandalous contract.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), issued a statement today describing the move by the Mayor and the City Council as ”nothing short of brazen, wanton and gross disrespect for the Chief Justice (ag) of this country and Orders of the High Court”.

See below for  the full text of the PPP statement:

On the 16^th February 2017, the Honourable Chief Justice (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, granted three Orders or Rule nisi of Certiorari quashing the parking meter contract entered into between the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown and Smart City Solutions Inc. as well as the implementation of the said contract and the Town Clerk has been Ordered to show cause to the Court why these Orders should not be made absolute. The Town Clerk has been commanded to do so by the said Order of Court on the 27^th February 2017.

Notwithstanding, the Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green has signaled, publicly, that on Monday 20^th February 2017, the City Council will resume the implementation of the parking meter system in the City. This is nothing short of brazen, wanton and gross disrespect for the Chief Justice (ag) of this country and Orders of the High Court.

We are of the firm view that the Mayor would not be so bold to demonstrate such contempt for the legal process and to defy the three Orders of the High Court of this country unless she has the support of Central Government. This is symptomatic of the callous disregard that the Government, itself, has repeatedly exhibited for the rule of law.

It is apt at this juncture to remind of the vulgar abuse of the Chancellor of the Judiciary by the Attorney General, Basil Williams, in the state-owned Chronicle newspapers a few weeks ago and the numerous violations of the Constitution which are committed regularly and with impunity by this Administration.

We take this opportunity to draw to the attention of the Diplomatic and International Community, the systematic and the institutionalised undermining of the legal system and the rule of law which are taking place in the country.

We call upon the Mayor, the Town Clerk and the City Council of Georgetown to respect the rule of law and the Orders of the High Court and to put on hold, the implementation of the parking meter project, until the hearing and determination of the legal proceedings which are pending.

Needless to say, that our call now is without prejudice to our original position to which we hold steadfast, that is, that the parking meter project should be scrapped.