City parking issues; what’s the way forward?

Editor,I thank Akintore for this great opinion about parking business. It’s true that parking services confuse everyone, but also one would imagine that the motorist is expecting minimum service for the money paid. These would for example include a clean place and safety. For example, people who go to shop at Mulindi (a.k.a Mulindi wa Kanombe). Normally car owners park in bushes alongside the road. During the rainy seasons, you would expect your car to be painted with mud and when it is a dry season expect to get alot of dust. But the local authorities are collecting parking fees despite all these problems as if they added value to that parking place.This brings in some related questions: How should the parking areas look like? What are the obligations of the local authority/entity that collect parking fees? I am afraid that one day these local authorities may charge parking fees even in the homes of car owners. James Gasana, Kabuga, Rwanda****************************My Nigerian friend and colleague often jokes that “you are on your own O!”. What do I mean? While I think there’s absolute sense in what you are saying, I doubt if anyone is listening. Reason being? “Culture”. I’ve studied Rwandan culture and observed Rwandans for my doctoral thesis, and one of the values common across different groups of Rwandan descent is “perfectionism” – displeasure with anything that does not meet extremely high standards.Facts speak for themselves in your own article which articulates extreme high standards in city parking.....as an alternative to the current extremely high standards set by the city. From a cross-cultural researcher’s perspective, you are both right.This is what anthropologists call emic/etic cultural aspects of human behaviour. Both, you and the city recognise the need for standardis ing car parking (etic) but differ in your approaches (emic), right? This explains common (emic) aspects of Rwandan cultural values you share as Rwandans, but also shows the different cultural backgrounds you grew up in.In your article you talk about your experience in “a number of cities worldwide” which means your thinking is, to an extent, informed by your background.Lastly, cultures take time to change which explains the level of inflexibility or resistance to change. So, unless you become the mayor of the city to effect the changes you want to see (which may also be altered by forces of other cultures), otherwise road side parking remains restricted. Sam Zamu, Aberdeen, ScotlandReactions to Alline Akintore’s opinion, “Making sense of Kigali’s parking services”, (The New Times, June 17)

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City parking issues; what’s the way forward?