– on way forward regarding garbage disposal in City during Christmas season

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has said it has not heard from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on the way forward regarding the increased amount of garbage that is generated around Christmas time by the business community.

Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, told Guyana Chronicle on Monday that while he can go ahead and impose a fee on the store owners, he would prefer to first have dialogue with the PSC, and then come up with a decision as a team.

“We have to work together to build the City and come up with strategies together. I can put a fee on them, but I don’t want to do that. I want to work together and as a team. I don’t believe as a Guyanese, as a leader, I should go and use my authority. We’re both reachable so we can meet to talk first,” he said in an interview following the council’s fortnightly statutory meeting at City Hall.

According to him, the PSC should have met with the council ever since last May to sort out the garbage issue. “We walked the City, myself and Mr. Gouveia, and I will walk again with him today. I don’t want any friction or conflict with the private sector but I don’t intend to be a nice guy to the private sector all the time. They say they are the bloodstream of this City, well I am the heart and I have a role to play.”

The mayor said he is appealing to the PSC to work along with the City Council.
In 2016, President David Granger had recommended the formation of a tripartite committee involving the PSC, the City Council and Central Government. However, the PSC complained that, at that time, the City Council continued to miss meetings and the initiative never took off.

The mayor had complained that there are over 140 “high-end” businesses in the City that owe billions in taxes to the municipality. He said the non-payment of the taxes is hurting the council and affecting its work.

The GCCI had said, though, that businesses are the life blood of the City as they create employment and economic activity and that there was a need for more partnerships.
For several years, the Georgetown City Council and a number of mayors have complained about the business community failing to meet its tax obligations to the City.
Despite efforts to ease the payments through various initiatives, the number of defaulters and the money owed continue to climb.