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What has happened to the Chief Valuation Officer?

Oct 06, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I would like to know since when property evaluation is no longer under the purview of the Chief Valuation Officer of the Ministry of Finance? I have read with considerable interest, reports in several daily newspapers that The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is moving towards reassessing the value of properties in and around Georgetown. Town Clerk Royston King has been quoted as saying that this was one of the many measures the Council is undertaking to address its financial struggles. He is even quoted as saying that he is hoping that the reassessment of all properties in the city will happen by the end of the year.
My research has shown that the preparation of valuation lists for any area of Guyana was by virtue of Article 4 of Chapter 28:04 – the Valuation for Rating Purposes Act is under the direct purview of the Chief Valuation Officer. Has the Georgetown City Council ever previously undertook such an exercise? Or is this another jaunt into the world of fantasy by the Town Clerk?
Surely if such an exercise is not conducted in accordance with our laws, it will be challenged in a court of law by any and all ratepayers against whom these new rates shall be levied. It would be parking meter part two.
King told reporters that “the reason why the Council is bankrupt is because the money is in the bank accounts of persons who are defaulting on paying their rates”. I will beg to differ on that, and to say that the reason why the Council is bankrupt is because the money is in the bank accounts of the contractors who continue to be given contracts by City Hall without adherence to tender and procurement procedures and in the bank accounts of the super salaried municipal officials most of whom are relatives, friends and church associates of the big ones at City Hall.
Furthermore, if the Council is looking to erect a number of structures on Merriman Mall that will be rented to hairdressers, nail technicians, and barbers as claimed by King, then he should sell municipal bonds to raise those finances, and not use property taxes which should be for current expenditure.
But the question would be who is going to buy bonds from an agency as disreputable as the Georgetown City Council, and is going to be given the contract to build these structures, would they be designed like the horse stables constructed nearby, how many years will it take for these hairdressers, nail technicians and barbers to repay the Council and what ever happened to the plan for clean open spaces in our city
Sambu Jacobus

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