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M&CC extends amnesty

Dec 01, 2010 News

– anticipates massive response by rate-payers

Defaulting tax payers are being furnished with another chance to honour their civic obligation to pay their rates and taxes at an interest-free rate, as the Mayor and City and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC) has decided to extend its amnesty offer.  This disclosure was made by Public Relations Officer, Royston King, who said yesterday that the revenue collection programme will continue until the 15th of this month.
The amnesty was initially slated to come to an end yesterday (November 30). It was kicked into motion on October 15 last.
Defaulters, King said, have another opportunity to settle their accounts at City Hall. And this extended offer is premised on the fact that there have been overwhelming requests by property-owners to lengthen the amnesty programme.
“The municipality has extended the closing date for the waiver of all interests on all demand, providing that property-owners pay in full their accounts for 2010.”
King revealed that over the last few weeks, a fair number of rate-payers had taken advantage of the amnesty by liquidating their arrears.  However, many home- owners, some of whom have been in default for several years, have not settled their accounts at the City Treasury.
As a result, the anticipated collection of some $200M has not been realized, King lamented. Moreover, this state of affairs, would affect the ability of the municipality to provide critical services and facilities to the citizens of Georgetown.
“Notwithstanding, council continues to provide an opportunity to allow property-owners to honour their civic obligation to the city. The council understands and is very mindful of the difficulties faced by rate-payers. However, it still remains an extremely daunting task for the council to fulfill its obligation to the citizens on its narrow revenue base. Therefore, as the municipality seeks to assist citizens to pay, by granting an extension of the amnesty, it expects all defaulters to settle in full their accounts at City Hall.”
All arrangements, according to King, have been put in place for the Treasury to reduce waiting time. Therefore, business-owners and rate-payers can visit the treasury and pay their rates.  There is not likely to be any further extension of this facility, he emphasised.
Government and several reputable businesses have been listed among the defaulters that are yet to fully honour their civic obligation with the municipality.
Information emanating from the municipality indicates that Central Government owes in excess of $30M, representing the payment of rates and taxes for the last quarter of this year, which was due and payable on October 30 last.
It was since the beginning of last month that it was recognised that the municipality was facing a near $400M shortfall, which prompted the entity to kick into motion the amnesty programme.
The programme was designed to entice defaulting rate-payers to pay up without the added stress of paying accumulated interest.
King revealed that it was expected that the amnesty programme would have seen the municipality recovering at least 50 percent of the shortfall. A mere $54M was recovered as at the end of Monday.

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