Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green says only 50% of taxes owed to the city have been collected for the year, while saying the government is behind in payments.
At a news conference yesterday that addressed some of the concerns that were raised by Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud about the Mayor and City Council’s operations, Green challenged a claim by the minister that the city received $150 million in taxes for the year.
Persaud had said on Monday that for this year, 80 per cent of Georgetown residents had already paid their rates and taxes, including the central government, which paid to the tune of $150 million, while little has been done in terms of the city’s rehabilitation and upkeep.
The minister had also stated that “more and more central government is taking over responsibilities that should be executed by the council and central government is doing that because of its caring approach and concern,” and that “the city is in need of financial accountability as the money is not being properly utilised.”
But Green claimed that Minister Persaud’s comment about mismanagement of the council’s fund is a classic case of deception, while saying that the government has not paid its taxes for the first and second quarters of this year.
“Ganga Persaud lied on the mayor and I’m not going to remain silent anymore. His biggest lie was when he emphatically stated that the government had given this municipality $150 million, it is a total lie,” Green said.
He further stated that the government has not honoured its legal obligation to the city by paying its taxes.
He said “as I speak to you, the government is in default of their taxes for the first and second quarter of 2013.” He also said that 50% of taxes were collected for the year and not 80% as was stated by the minister.
The M&CC has reiterated that it is strapped for cash and needs assistance from government since the revenue generated from rates and taxes is not enough to sustain its operation.
Green reiterated that to assist in the generation of additional funds, “when this M&CC took office we proposed a number of measures and all were rejected.”
He cited examples such as a proposal for environmental taxes, which would have aided in cleaning up the city, the conversion of the Le Repentir dumpsite by an overseas agent into an electricity generation facility and the inclusion of parking lots in building plans.
According to Green, the electricity project was rejected by former president Bharrat Jagdeo, who said that the main focus was on hydro power and that the cost per unit for electricity that would be generated would be too high. Jagdeo also turned down the proposal of requiring all businesses to have parking for customer in their plan—a clear example of the government’s diabolical plan to destroy the city, Green charged.
New
appointments
Meanwhile, a new City Engineer and a new Director of Solid Waste Management have been appointed, filling two of four key vacancies that have existed at City Hall since the end of last year.
The appointments were made by the Ministry of Local Government, which is, however, still to re-advertise the positions of Town Clerk and City Treasurer.
Colvern Venture was appointed as the City Engineer and Walter Narine was appointed Director of Solid Waste Management on June 3.
Venture has been at City Hall for at least the past seven years and was serving in the capacity of Assistant Deputy Engineer, while Narine is a new addition to the City Hall staff.
Green said that while he was only informed verbally about the appointments by acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba, there was no objection to the appointees.
Sooba confirmed the appointments and said that both men are currently serving in their respective capacities.
The services of Town Clerk Yonette Pluck-Cort, City Engineer Gregory Erskine, acting City Treasurer Andrew Meredith, Director of the Solid Waste Management Unit Hubert Urlin, and Accounts Clerk Troy Isaacs were terminated by the Local Government Ministry “in the public interest,” with effect from December 31, 2012.
While advertisements were placed to fill the Town Clerk vacancy, none of the seven applicants who responded met the requirements sought.
Re-advertising for the position was expected to start soon but a month has passed and nothing has been done by the Local Government Ministry, which is responsible.
