Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo today poured cold water on a plan by the Georgetown City Council for properties in the city to be re-evaluated for the purpose of adjusting the rates and taxes being paid on those properties.

At a press conference this afternoon at his Freedom House party headquarters, Mr. Jagdeo said the Government will not lend any support to the City Council’s re-evaluation plan.

The last adjustment to the City’s rates and taxes was done in 2017.

“The People’s Progressive Party will not support this, so I am making it clear that we will not approve any re-evaluation exercise for properties in the City or in any other part of the country for that matter. So, if they have approached the Ministry of Finance to have that done, then the answer will be no and I urge people not to pay bribes to individuals in the City Council who may try to extort them,” Mr. Jagdeo stated.

Mr. Jagdeo said there are already complaints from religious organizations that they have received demand notices that show an increase in rates and taxes.

The Vice President also rejected the City Council’s campaign encouraging residents of the city to settle their outstanding rates and taxes.

“First of all, why would you want to do a re-evaluation of prosperities in Georgetown in this year? We have made it very clear that there will be no re-evaluation of any property which means higher taxes for people in Georgetown or any other part of the country,” Mr. Jagdeo said today.

Earlier this week, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore threatened property owners that legal action will be mounted if outstanding rates and taxes are not paid. He said the Council is open to putting payment plans in place to accommodate those with large amounts owed.

The Mayor has explained that more than 45% of property owners in Georgetown are delinquent in paying their rates and taxes to the City and that problem is affecting the City’s revenue stream.

The City of Georgetown over the past few years has been expanding rapidly with massive buildings, including hotels and office complexes, being erected. In many instances, businesses have been purchasing private homes and other smaller properties to build commercial entities.

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