City Hall owed more than $600M in taxes

Sep 25, 2009 News

…over $400M accrued interest still outstanding

Despite engaging desperate measures to reverse its cash-strapped state, the Mayor and City Council is yet to collect outstanding rates and taxes for the period July to December, amounting to more than $600M.
This state of affairs was highlighted last evening when municipal officials met with representatives of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) to discuss the municipality’s financial position.
The meeting comes as part of the council’s attempt to garner the support of the union which represents more than 60 percent of those within its employ in order to prevent the possibility of industrial action should the municipality not be able to pay salaries on time.
According to Public Relations Officer, Royston King, the meeting was cordial and there was mutual understanding between the parties involved.
Also at yesterday’s forum it was disclosed that while the municipality had budgeted to collect just over $400 M of outstanding accrued interest a mere $59 M has so far been collected.
As such it was requested of the union representatives yesterday to offer assistance in the municipality’s quest to appeal for the implementation of the Valuation Roll. The union was also encouraged to assist in the approach to appropriate agencies to collect outstanding sums and also to support new revenue initiatives, King added.
The municipal officials also took the opportunity to inform the union of its inability to pay an increase of 20 percent to the GLU represented workers. According to King, the union had written to the municipality earlier this year requesting that the workers remuneration package be augmented.
Accordingly, the council has promised to furnish the union with spreadsheets indicating the facts and figures representing the municipal’s financial state.
Meanwhile, the municipality, through an amnesty, has been able to garner a reasonable amount of revenue, which may see the municipality being able to pay its staffers before month end.
According to King, he has been informed that the municipality has been able to garner enough finances to pay its workers. However, no official word has emanated from the municipality as to whether salaries will be made available to the workers today, which is the entity’s official pay date.
King assured that the municipality is obligated to honour its obligation to its workers even as he commended the commitment and support that has been forthcoming from them despite the evident financial crisis.

Latest News

City Hall owed more than $600M in taxes

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Berbice ease past Demerara in low-scoring match

Upper Demerara suffer 8 wicket loss as Lakeram...

Joshi is the new National 2025 Women’s Chess...

Kares Engineering renews title sponsorship of One...

Harpy Eagles looking to put old rivals to bed,...

Windsor Estates reigns supreme at AmCham Golf...

Features/Columnists

Does the PNCR really want to go down this road?

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Police violence – life is cheap in Linden

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

City Hall owed more than $600M in taxes

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 7th, 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 […]