Constabulary set to seize movable assets
Debra Lewis
Debra Lewis

– as businesses served with debt notices

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be invoking the laws pertaining to seizing moveable property from businesses that owe accumulative millions in taxes and interest and have shunned the council’s debt collection efforts.   Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, told Guyana Chronicle that beginning last Friday and concluding on Tuesday,  letters have been served to Jaikarran and Sons, owing $117,250,262; Waylite Engineering, owing $29,398,064; Parker and Company/Muneshwers, owing $17,113,309; and Central Garage, owing $28,410,596.

Furthermore, she said, letters have been  prepared for some 14 additional businesses.    These businesses have 14 days to respond to the City Council, during which time the owners are expected to visit City Hall to arrange a payment plan. Failure to do so will result in officers of the City Constabulary turning up at the business locations to seize whatever they can find, including cars, furniture, televisions, etc.

Lewis said the M&CC has found that using ‘parate execution’ to recover costs takes a long time through the court process. As such, the municipality is now bent on invoking the laws relating to ‘petty debt’ for which they can simply turn up at the businesses and  seize whatever valuables are there and sell them.

“The court process is long and drawn out and the council needs money. We’ve been very lenient with these businesses and have often given them options to pay, like announcing amnesty and so forth,” Lewis noted. She said the M&CC has found residents more willing to pay up but there are those businesses who just do not care. “They have become complacent because they see that the M&CC has not been using the law in the strictest sense,” observed Lewis. “But we are very serious about seizing their property. We need money and we have to provide services. We’re not talking now. We’re going to evoke the law. You can’t cry and say you weren’t told.”

“Eye opener”
Lewis said the seizing exercise will serve as an “eye opener” to other businesses who are failing to honour their obligations to the council.      Lewis had earlier told the Guyana Chronicle that in 2017, the M&CC intends to embark on an “aggressive” campaign against defaulting ratepayers since the Council needs “every single cent” to provide services. In a press release, the M&CC had also named Sunglow Industries, Abdul & Sakina Sattur, Guyana Development Corps, Property Protection Services, and Correia’s Enterprise Limited among the defaulters.

“The owners of several businesses and corporations which are on the delinquent list did not even see it necessary to make use of the facility or to seek an audience with the Georgetown Municipality concerning their status on rates owed,” the M&CC had said. “The action of corporations and big businesses of not paying their rates to the Council is inconsistent with their corporate social responsibility and a contravention of the City by-laws. Their actions have affected the delivery of vital services such as drainage works, road repairs and maintenance of parks, gardens and open spaces,” M&CC had said.

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