PPP/C Gov’t against rates and taxes increase -Min. Dharamlall

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall has said that the Government has no intention to increase rates and taxes. However, he noted that the Ministry will have to find innovative ways to boost the collection of rates and taxes.

“This is not about the amount that they collect but it is the way that is collected, I think that we have fallen into the trap of thinking about increasing rates and taxes when in fact, the collection rate in most Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), and most municipalities, is not beyond 50 per cent, so it is about getting closer to the 100 per cent, rather than increasing rates and taxes,” the Minister told DPI on Friday.

He added that a revaluation of rates and taxes would only bring financial burden on citizens, which the PPP/C had campaigned against.

“We would like to assure our citizens, that there will be no increases in rates and taxes. It is one of our commitments that we made in our manifesto, and we intend to uphold that…since what happens by increasing rates and taxes of just a few people or less than half of those who are assessed will have to carry the burden of debt,” Minister Dharamlall said.

Management is one of the many issues which plagued the operation of Local Democratic Organs (LDOs), which the Minister said will need to be addressed for the benefit of all Guyanese.

For some years, various LDOs such as municipalities and NDCs have been seeking the Government’s intervention to revaluate rates and taxes on properties.