MAYOR Hamilton Green has commented on reports that his wife, Dr. Jennifer Basdeo, owes the Georgetown City Council millions of dollars in taxes for her property, the Jelante Complex, where a pharmacy is located at Lot XX Mandela Avenue and Jamoon Drive.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, in his City Hall parlour, he said the fact that Acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba claimed none of the taxes were paid is a total deception of the public.
Green declared that the “accusations” by the Town Clerk are a “figment of a diabolical mind.”
Sooba had stated that Basdeo’s indebtedness to the municipality is in excess of $9M and her husband had asked for assistance to waive it.
But Green told the media that, when the building was first constructed, its valuation was exorbitant.
He explained that the evaluation of all properties in Georgetown is done by the Chief Valuation Officer in the Valuation Division which is controlled by the Ministry of Finance and so no one can point fingers at the City Council for influencing the process.
The Mayor further stated that every year, appeals were made to the ministry for the valuing to be adjusted and, after the revaluation, an offer was made by Basdeo to pay what is due, in a fair manner within 48 hours.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green confirmed that the rightful place to make requests for the waiving or readjustment of taxes is, normally, the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance.