M&CC calls on businesses to honour tax debts
― taxes not paid, incurs interest
― payment plans are available
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, April 11, 2019
At a press conference held at City Hall on April 10, the City Mayor, Ubraj Narine urged business owners to pay their taxes owed to the municipality.
His Worship said even though persons are coming in to pay their rates and taxes, there are still billions owed to the council; money that is crucially needed to assist in the completion and the commencing of new projects set out by the council.
“The idea is not to attack businesses. We agreed that they are the ‘lifeblood’ of the city. They create employment and create opportunities, but as the Mayor and the council, we have a role to play and to keep the city to a standard. We are appealing to them, come… my office is open. The Deputy Mayor’s office is open. We can sit down and arrive at a solution.”
Mayor Narine added that negotiations can facilitate a smooth process, “much to the benefit of business owners and the M&CC”.
Deputy Mayor, Alfred Mentore alluded to the fact that billions of dollars are owed to the council because of an accumulation of debts not paid for years, which in turn has incurred interest rates prior to this councils’ predecessors.
“We’re working, and we are trying to find ways because there are other methods that we can use that would be tough on business owners, but we don’t want to go down that road. We are willing to talk, and we’re willing to find solutions right now, as we speak before we look at other measures that we could advance to be able to at those matters,” Mentore explained.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor re-emphasised the importance of the need for persons to pay their rates and taxes to the council. They are optimistic that, by extension of an olive branch, the council’s required goals will be met and business owners will still be able to operate.
Kipenie Jordan.
Images: Department of Public Information.