M&CC may have to rethink revenue collection process

Dec 27, 2008 News

The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) may very well have to come up with a new strategy for the new year if they intend to continue operating in the interest of the citizenry of Georgetown, as well as in their workers’ interest.
This notion has been voiced by many individuals, and continues to be a cause for concern, given the financial inabilities the municipality is faced with on a consistent basis.
According to Public Relations Officer of the municipality, Royston King, the challenges of acquiring revenue to sustain the municipality are centred on the failure of individuals and owners of businesses to fulfill the obligation of paying their taxes.
It was for this reason that the municipality had intensified its rates and taxes collection process on a number of occasions this year, even with the threat of court action being emphasised.
City Mayor Hamilton Green had revealed that, in a bid to uncover much needed revenue to maintain the city, the M&CC was even contemplating the move to sell the properties of defaulting tax payers.
This the mayor had offered as an innovative way to force tax payers to pay up what they owe to the city.
But, according to him, while the most drastic action that could be taken against residents is to confiscate and sell their properties, the process is in fact a very slow one.
It was for this very reason, the mayor related, that he had for more than 10 years been requesting that a court be set up exclusively for municipal issues. According to Green, with a municipal court, matters that concern the municipality could be addressed with much haste, even allowing for the timely payment of rates and taxes and to facilitate any necessary court action against defaulters.
Without the introduction of an exclusive municipal court, Green said, it would be a near impossible effort to seize and sell the properties of the major defaulters.
In the meantime, Green noted, there is no choice but to endure the slothfulness of the court in an attempt to garner the much needed finances to manage the city.
However, Mayor Green is of the belief that the municipality will continue to be short-changed if the new evaluation of the city does not come into play.
According to Green, the new evaluation, which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Finance, is the key to boosting the city’s revenue base to some extent.
In addition to properties being undervalued, Green said, there are many properties in the city that have been transformed from residential to commercial purposes, thus some residents, while they are paying their taxes, are paying far less than should be paid.
The City Council has been saddled with an enormous debt situation, which it seems unable to reverse. As such, the mayor had, on numerous occasions, cited the need for the city to expand its revenue base, a factor which was highlighted by the Interim Management Committee which had, some years ago, controlled the maintenance of the city.
Deputy Mayor Robert Williams, just a few days ago, admitted that an even more intense tax collection process was not enough to garner finances to enable the municipality to pay its workers their wages and salaries in time for Christmas. The municipality is also indebted to private contractors whose services were utilised.
Both the Deputy Mayor and Public Relations Officer of the municipality, when questioned, were unable to identify a date when finances would be available for the workers to be paid and the debts settled with the contractors. This development only serves to emphasise the cash-strapped state of the municipality, a state it has been in for a number of years; and the state in which it may enter the new year.
However, King has expressed optimism that, although the municipality has had a very difficult year, every effort will be engaged in 2009 to reverse its current state, even if it means engaging tougher methods to collect revenue.

Latest News

M&CC may have to rethink revenue collection process

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Slingerz FC shines at Guyana Energy Conference and Youth Forum

Guyana’s rising Chess stars take on Barbados

Elite clubs will challenge KFC monopoly on team...

Bristol named manager as Guyana gears up for 2025...

BCB puts a halt to cricket season due to...

Changes made to KMTC Phagwah Horse race meet

Features/Columnists

The clock and the cloud

CARICOM Nations Should Respond Together To new U.S. Policies

Wood snake year

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

M&CC may have to rethink revenue collection process

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]