Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
Govt blanks support for reevaluation of properties in the city
Kaieteur News-Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the government will not support any bid to reevaluate properties in the city. Jagdeo was at the time responding to the disclosure made by City Mayor, Alfred Mentore, that efforts will be made to have city properties reevaluated so as to collect higher rates and taxes.
VP Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo questioned the move to reevaluate properties in an election year. “Why would you want to do a revaluation of property in Georgetown in this year? We have made it very clear that there will be no revaluation of any property which means higher taxes for people in Georgetown or any other part of the country.”
“We will not approve any revaluation exercise for properties in the city or any part of the country whatsoever,” he told his weekly press conference on Thursday. The VP urged the citizens of Georgetown not to negotiate any payment directly with the Mayor or his officers as they might be coerced into paying bribes.
On Tuesday Mentore read the riot act to all defaulting taxpayers of the city, promising that the municipality will ‘name’, ‘shame’ and take legal action against those who fail to clear their arrears. The Mayor also signaled his intention to hold discussions with the Chief Valuation Officer on revaluation of properties in Georgetown.
Speaking at a statutory meeting of Georgetown M&CC, Mentore said that new orders are meant for those defaulting in rates and taxes across “across the board.” “We implore on every citizen in this percentile to make a special effort to reach out to us earliest and to take advantage of this opportunity to remedy, resolve and bring solutions to their tax issues. Should this not be addressed in this period, the Council will have no other choice but to publish the names of the delinquent ratepayers and lastly with a view to taking necessary legal remedies provided under law to recover,” the Mayor said.
He said that notices will be published in the newspaper for outstanding rates and taxes if persons fail to go in and settle their arrears. According to Mentore, debt payers are invited to write to City Hall to apply for “solutions to your outstanding indebtedness”.
They will have to plead their cases and justify why the Finance Committee and the Council should green light recommendations and grant approvals. I want the people of this city to know we are trying to help and as a council we are trying to help,” the Mayor said. This is not the City’s first attempt to go after defaulting rate and tax payers. Last year, the M&CC said that the Council will focus on aggressively pursuing defaulters and delinquent ratepayers.
Consequently, the Council was expected to implement the remedies under Section 220 of Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Council Act to recover the rates owed. Under the Act, the rate recovery measures are in accordance with a civil debt. Therefore irrespective of the amount owed, under the Summary Jurisdiction (Petty Debt Act), it is applicable to ratepayers owing less than $100,000; and warrants on movable property of the person liable, whether such movable property is situated on the property in respect of which the rates are due or elsewhere.
Additionally, the council had planned to improve the effectiveness of its Debt Recovery Unit by hiring and training more staff members as well as issue Demand Notices more frequently bolstered by a strong public relations programme to remind ratepayers of their responsibility.
Moreover, the Council was also looking to monetize several assets to generate more revenues. The City Council was expected to further work with the Valuation Office to make necessary adjustments to the rates charged on some properties and create new valuation list for areas not listed in the city.
(Govt blanks support for reevaluation of properties in the city)
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