The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has announced that it will begin seizing properties for which owners owe millions of dollars in rates.
According to a press release issued by the M&CC yesterday, this will be done as it moves to intensify rate collections.
This comes at a time when there are reports that the council is heavily indebted and is facing difficulties paying staff and companies for providing services.
The campaign, which begins next week, will see Town Clerk Royston King using the assistance of the court to exercise parate execution to collect
outstanding sums owed by defaulting property owners.
“Parate execution is one such remedy that allows the council to seize and sell a property or properties for the rates due, this is articulated in the Municipal and District Councils Act,” the release said.
Recently, after the council was granted judgment in the court against over 14 property owners, a few of them approached the municipality with their lawyers to settle their accounts. However, there are others who have not contacted the council.
The release said that four properties in the city collectively owe the council in excess of $300 million.
It noted that the council has exercised patience with defaulters by granting three months of amnesty during 2015 and a special payment plan was drafted to assist property owners to pay off their debts, but some businesses ignored the plan and did not comply. “This can no longer continue,” the statement added, saying it would be unfair to those citizens who honour their civic obligation to the council in a very timely manner.
The action being taken by the M&CC is a result of property owners’ negligence and it is the only option left to solicit payment of rates, the release said. “The Town Clerk is left with no other alternative but to implement parate execution to collect outstanding sums owed,” it added.
Meanwhile, Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis told this publication that the M&CC is working to ensure that the staff and companies are paid. She confirmed that city council is facing some difficulties but stated that staff who receive wages have been paid and salaries should be paid by Monday.
Stabroek News had reported that the city owes Cevon’s Waste Manage-ment and Puran Brothers Dispoal Inc millions of dollars for services provided.
