-should stop embarrassing business owners, says Min. Dharamlall

By Richard Bhainie

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown should employ innovative solutions to address general tax collection, including arrears owed. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, that while central government is keen on everyone paying their taxes, the M&CC should improve its professionalism and implement strategic means of working with citizens in relation to tax collection.

Minister Dharamlall’s comments came on the heels of a bitter feud between Georgetown’s Mayor, Ubraj Narine, and the owner of Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat, who is being accused of owing the city millions in taxes. City Hall also claims to be indebted to service providers to the tune of some $5B.

“Our position is everyone should pay their taxes. That is a non-negotiable issue, and at the same time we would like to see the municipality also provide services that are beyond what they currently do; we believe that much more can be done,” Minister Dharamlall explained.

STOP EMBARRASSING BUSINESS OWNERS
He noted that the M&CC has sought to embarrass business owners publicly, rather than working collaboratively with them, to find creative measures on moving forward to address arrears in relation to outstanding taxes. “I think the Mayor has been on an agenda to discredit business people and we believe that is the wrong thing to do,” the Minister explained

He added, “I would hope that he would start focusing on providing leadership as the Mayor of Georgetown, rather than get into discrediting, victimising and dishonouring, hardworking people of Georgetown, including the massive businesses that we have and we require.” Minister Dharamlall stated that this hostility the M&CC has expressed towards business owners is unpropitious towards the development of the business sector in Guyana.

When asked about recommendations for innovative solutions the council can employ, the Minister explained that the M&CC was elected to deliberate and conceptualise those plans. However, he offered some suggestions. “I would like to see them disaggregate the rate payer’s base, so the households have to be treated differently from small businesses, from medium size businesses, from commercial businesses and from industrial businesses and I do not think that the city has been able to do so, I think they have been unwilling to do it.”

He explained that the Mayor and City Council should reach out to individuals and businesses rather than execute the uncompromising methods they have so far utilised, such as issuing letters which sometimes never gets to the ratepayer. “They should start going out and meeting with people rather than issuing letters which take time to get to people and sometimes never get to people. They should enhance the quality of the tax collection department and reach out to individuals,” he explained.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, and other difficulties businesses and individuals are currently faced with, the Minister is pleading with the M&CC to seek out rate payers, and develop creative solutions and methods to address debts that are beneficial to both parties.

“Many people are affected by COVID-19 right now, and other issues, in terms of their businesses, in terms of their employment, in terms of their livelihood and their ability to pay, and I think it is City Hall’s responsibility to reach out to the businesses, and to the rate payers, to find common ground so that everyone gets a fair chance to pay,” Dharamlall said.

SUPPORT TO CITY HALL
Meanwhile, the Minister highlighted a number of initiatives and contributions the central government provides to support the M&CC, such as the recently established inter-ministerial task force. This task force focuses on the development of Georgetown and comprises of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, who is the chair; the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn.

“These are the areas that we focus on and we would provide the infrastructural development in the city in terms of drainage, irrigation, in terms of addressing issues of roads and other physical infrastructure,” Dharamlall explained. He added: “we also play a significant role in the collection and disposal of garbage and the operations of the Haags Bosch sanitary landfill. So central government actually plays a significant role to enhance the city’s development.”