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There is a reign of terror at City Hall
There is a reign of terror being unleashed by the Georgetown City Council, which somehow has not yet come
to the full realization of the citizenry of our capital. Recently there has been the rounding up of vendors, and dispatching of them to a space that is inadequate, inappropriate and off the beaten track where little business shall be done, then there was the demolition of the ‘Dread Shop’ and adjacent buildings.
But the most horrible and most recent scare tactic and fear mongering to come from Royston King and his cabal is the announcement in the press that as part of an intense campaign to collect revenues owed to the Municipality that they are moving to seize and sell properties of defaulting rates and taxpayers.
This is merely an act to scare poor people who are struggling to make ends meet, to rush and borrow money to pay their outstanding rates so that King and his friends can continue to spend lavishly on things that are non essential but from which they will benefit.
The entire hierarchy of the Council knows that such action would be virtually impossible for them to carry out, as the laws were changed twenty eight years ago and that is why they have not been selling people’s properties for decades now. It is clear that is another PR stunt where they are merely trying to terrorize and intimidate persons to pay them.
There are some wealthy individuals and companies that are consistent tax defaulters. Why have they not sold their properties or exposed them by publishing their names? It is because they can’t. There are legal implications and the Council knows it. Under the current law, the City Council cannot just simply put on sale the properties of those who refuse to pay their rates/and taxes.
The parate execution that they are referring to is a levy on defaulting properties according to law, but is a rather tedious and complicated issue, and would not allow the Council to just rush off and sell someone’s property even if they are in arrears.
In 1988 when Hamilton Green was Prime Minister and leader of the government side in parliament they crippled parate execution with the passage of two Bills – the Municipal and District Councils Act (no 17/1988) and the Local Government Amendment Act (no 18/1988). What in fact the two amendments intended to accomplish and have accomplished is the prevention of ‘land sharks’ buying at a nominal price at parate execution and later selling to make a huge profit. Royston King and his legal team know that, but are simply trying to hoodwink citizens into rushing down to City Hall and paying up.
I recall the Town Clerk recently being labeled a liar, and being dishonest after back-peddling on a payment for kite-flying article by a leading journalist (Demerara Waves) He needs to stop scaring these poor property owners through such deceitful methods.
Amber Valentine
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