The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has confirmed that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown owes over $100 million in taxes and unless a practical plan is proposed to begin these payments, the Authority has no interest in meeting with officials of that Local Government body.
GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia said Tuesday that the M&CC has responded to the Authority on the matter and has made it clear that the collection of these taxes should not affect its employees. He emphasised that City Hall would be held liable and not its employees.
“It would be unfair for the employees to be held liable. Don’t forget that if the GRA does not zealously proceed to collect its outstanding taxes, they (employees) will
also be negligent in their affairs,” Statia said. Further, the GRA boss asserted that ordinary taxpayers should not be the ones to suffer owing to negligence either on the part of the GRA or the M&CC.
He continued, “City Hall has written us and has asked to meet, but I don’t want to meet with any taxpayer unless they decide and they come with a plan as to how they will liquidate their liabilities.”
The M&CC also owes Guyana Power and Light (GPL); the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the credit unions.
In light of this, the Commissioner General said because street lighting was a function of national security, he would recommend to the M&CC to work with the appropriate ministry so as to come up with a suitable plan to share the responsibility of paying for these services that are provided to the public.
City Hall has a debt in excess of $3 billion for critical services provided by GPL; the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), and GTT.
Additionally, as of December 31, 2017, City Hall had an outstanding sum of $28.4 million for refuse disposal contractors; $302.5 million outstanding for wage and salary deductions; $449.5 million for contractors who executed drainage works; $240,000 for rental of vehicle and equipment, and $112.062 million for creditors. A number of contractors who were hired to weed, clean and desilt were owed a collective sum of $449.5 million.
