A valuation list crafted in 1996, which the Georgetown municipality has been operating with to value properties for rating purposes has now received legal standing with the passage of the Valuation of Property for Rating Purposes (Validation) Bill in the National Assembly on Thursday.
Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall moved the second reading of the bill, explaining that in 1996 a draft valuation list was prepared and handed over to the Georgetown municipality. Following publication for any objections the list was put into effect on January 1, 2007.
Lall told the National Assembly that Town Clerk Beulah Williams had advised him that she had made efforts to provide documentation to prove the entire legal process had been taken care of. However, he said, further research was done and it was found that this was not completed.
PNCR-1G front-bencher Clarissa Riehl argued for a system of appeal where citizens could seek redress.
According to her, the City Council had asked for names of persons to be put on the panel for appeal purposes and the party had submitted the name of Llewellyn John, who was rejected. However, she said the party would want to support the bill and pointed to the fact that the council was already in grave financial problems.
Alliance For Change MP David Patterson questioned why it took 11 years after the list was developed and the citizenry had been paying taxes, for the issue to be rectified with this piece of legislation.
“Some persons have refused to pay their taxes on the basis that the list was not legal,” he noted adding that the validation of the list at this time may pose additional challenges for the council and further contribute to its financial woes.
He said any building expanded since 1996 was not covered in the list the government was now seeking to validate. “All the new hotels which went up recently, pool halls on Sheriff Street and night clubs are not covered under this list
