THE Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) plans to implement commercial rates and taxes for the collection of garbage in the city. The M&CC reportedly dished out some of its plans to rake in more revenue at a recent meeting it had with the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), at which various store-owners spoke of issues affecting them.The M&CC is not inclined to raise the current amounts for rates and taxes as it has for years now, been encountering difficulty in having citizens come forward to pay. As such, the municipality is trying to find other means to bring in revenue.

Another means of increasing revenue that the city council is looking at is implementing a parking-meter system, which is expected to deter motorists, especially taxi drivers, from parking in spaces that store-owners reserve for customers.

At the meeting, the issue of parking was the number one issue which was raised. Representatives of Durga Business Enterprise, Scotia Bank, Global Seafood Distribution, Eureka Laboratory, and Silvie’s Variety Store were present at the City Hall meeting. The meeting heard how customers have to park corners away from business establishments in order to do business.

Meanwhile, newly elected mayor Patricia Chase-Green had told this newspaper that atop on her agenda is expanding the revenue base of the Georgetown municipality.

She had said in the past that an estimate would have to be conducted in certain areas to determine who are paying their rates and taxes and who are not. For instance, in the areas of Sophia and Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, the Mayor said only a few persons engaged in squatting, but whose areas have become regularised, are paying their taxes.

Further, many buildings which operate on a commercial basis are still paying the residential rates. These two rates are different, Chase-Green pointed out.