Some property owners not paying their taxes

Dec 28, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The partnership between the municipality and citizens has facilitated a cleaner, healthier, greener Georgetown. A city we are all proud of. Indeed, dignity and pride have returned to the city and many citizens are rediscovering new respect, care and love for their environment. In fact, we have received numerous reports of civic- minded citizens rebuking litter bugs and persuading them to keep their surroundings clean and tidy. This kind of attitude could only resound to the development of our beloved capital and the good health of its citizens.
However, certain factors are responsible for the noticeable positive changes unfolding in our garden city. Here, we wish to flag up three of them: First, leadership: this competency is demonstrated at two levels- national and local. Central government has been providing very strong leadership to the process of repairing the national image and reputation of Guyana.
Second, inner communities were cleaned up. It is not necessary for us to pen a line about the environmental, social and other benefits that resulted from these activities. Suffice it to say that it made a significant difference in aesthetics   and general condition of the city.
Third, that process provided a forum for residents to participate in activities aimed at protecting and preserving the integrity of our natural environment and public health.
We have been team working, particularly by using cross- functional teams to: increase productivity; improve coordination and integration; improve our focus on citizens; reduce time needed to process applications and other documents; and improve communication by having boundaries between functions spanned. We are constantly evaluating our systems to meet the needs of local communities.
We are cleaning and greening all areas of the city. We continue to carry out massive desilting works to our alleyways, drains, canals and other waterways. We have restored open spaces, avenues, walkways and other thoroughfares; we have rebuilt bridges restoring the wrought iron designs to them; repaired defective street lights and installed new ones. We have started to install refuse receptacles, in our main commercial areas, and generally improved our management of solid waste in Georgetown. We are repairing municipal buildings, our markets, and restoring our cemeteries.
We are encouraging greater involvement of non- governmental organizations, groups and communities in the decision- making process at City Hall. We are crafting a special programme that will assist us to build the capacities of community groups to become much more involved in the affairs of the Council and in the way we manage our neighbourhoods.
Moving forward, we believe that the Council should operate more business- like. The services we provide cost huge sums. For example, in 2015, garbage collection and disposal cost the council about $425 million, drainage approximately $200 million and environmental and public health about $230 million. It is not necessary for us to mention the substantial amount we expended on the host of other services we provide to citizens.
Yet, for all of that, some property-owners have been treating the Council unfairly; they have not been paying their rates. Understanding the financial predicaments and economic constraints of some of our citizens, we granted an amnesty on interest on general rates for about two months. Unbelievably, some big corporations and property- owners did not even make a telephone to our treasury let alone to come in and settle their accounts with us. It is sad but true.
We know that in order for us to continue providing vital municipal services in an efficient and effective manner we need more money. Those who use more of our municipal services and facilities must pay more. For example, businesses must pay more to the Council for collection of commercial and industrial waste. They generate more than private citizens and our solid waste department uses more fuel, transportation, space and other resources to haul such waste; they must pay more.
Also, the Council must contemplate new and special rates and charges for those corporations and agencies whose businesses are contributing to environmental degradation. Those businesses that emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases must be required to pay more to allow the Council the financial ease to put in place systems and measures that would offset the effects and impact of those emissions on the environment and public health.
Those corporations and companies which run cables beneath and above city space must compensate citizens. Those corporations that use our parapets, verges, open spaces, thoroughfares and waterfronts must pay for utilizing such city spaces based on market value.
We continue to make the point that all city spaces including reserves, pavements and open areas are collectively owned by all citizens residing in Georgetown. Therefore, those who utilize such spaces must compensate citizens through the city authority- the Mayor and City Council- for such uses.
We hold a similar thinking about the action of those who have made parts and, in some cases, entire drains and alleyway facilities impervious by concreting them. This continues to contribute to overtopping and attendant environmental problems in certain local communities.
Going forward, our constabulary will begin to take up its responsibility of managing and controlling traffic in council’s areas as required by the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, and to enhance its crime detecting and fights competencies.
Finally, at City Hall, we are propelled by a vision of greatness in a city with vast environmental, economic and cultural potentials. We are on a new path to create a city whose natural environment is not polluted by toxic emissions, to develop cohesive neighbourhoods in which our children can play in spaces that are green, safe and healthy; our senior citizens can walk, in the cool of the mornings or evenings reflecting on their years; shrubs and trees blooming in their seasons, casting their shadows in the evening sun, scrubbing the atmosphere of gases that hurt the environment; and parapets kept clean and tidy.
Royston King
Town Clerk

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