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FM
Former Member

City Hall is broke; salaries unpaid; security service withdraws; garbage collectors may go soon

 

Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown, has plunged into a deep financial crisis with no money to pay City workers, contracted security, drainage and garbage collection services, according to well-placed sources.

A senior financial official at City Hall would only say that workers would “most likely” be paid on Friday,  May 27, 2016.

“Money is not there. City Hall does not have money. They are in deep financial problems,” another official told Demerara Waves Online News. Sources said the municipality’s monthly wage and salary bill for fixed and un-fixed workers is estimated at GYD$67 million.

About 800 workers, including City Police, are on the fixed establishment.

The Head of Excalibur Security Services, Retired Lt. Colonel George Gomes confirmed to Demerara Waves Online News that he withdrew  60 security guards from several markets and other municipal locations on Tuesday because his company has been owed a “substantial amount” of money since the end of January. Sources said the debt is more than GYD$30 million. “I wrote them a letter telling them it is untenable and that I cannot continue subsidizing the council,” he said, adding that all he has been getting is “lots of promises” up two weeks ago.

Other sources told Demerara Waves Online News that the two major garbage collection companies – Purans and Cevons- are on the brink of withdrawing their services because they have been owed more than GYD$200 million. “The garbage contractors will pull off shortly if nothing comes through this week,” the source said.

Drainage contractors have also stopped working for City Hall and construction work at the Kitty Market has ground to a halt because there is no more cash, the sources added.

Concerns have since been raised in some quarters about where the estimated GYD$188 million that had been in the City Treasury up to May, 2015 and an additional GYD$584 million from the amnesty have gone.

It is unclear whether City Hall has again racked up social security and income tax debts to the National Insurance Scheme and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), after old debts had been cleared off up to May, 2015.

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Drugb posted:

Is the shyte hitting the fan or is this an April fools day joke. Oh but we are already in May.

Blame the PPP. Where is Advisor Mitwah, maybe invited to Guyana by Rumjaat for jubilee.I did not see Comrade Gilbakka on GNI lately???

K
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Spend today. Starve tomorrow.  

City Hall moves to seize, sell properties of defaulting taxpayers

May 28, 2016 | By | Filed Under News 

As part of an intense campaign to collect revenues owed to the Municipality, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, (M&CC) is moving to seize and sell properties of defaulting of rates and taxpayers.

According to a statement sent out by City Hall yesterday, the M&CC is expected to commence their intense operation as early as next week.
“The Town Clerk, with assistance of the court, will use the Parate Execution to collect outstanding sums owed by defaulting property owners,” the Council said in the release.
A Parate Execution is a remedy which allows the Council to seize and sell a property for the rates due in accordance with the Municipal and District Council Act.
M&CC Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, noted that Council has exercised lenience with defaulters via its three months amnesty project, in 2015.
Last year, the council reportedly collected over $400 million in outstanding rates and taxes during its amnesty phase.
Under the amnesty project, residential properties received total amnesty on interest, but companies and businesses were offered between 50 per cent and 75 per cent amnesty on tax interest.
Additionally, the Council would have encouraged defaulters to utilize the payment plan provided.
Still many businesses did not use the opportunity provided to them, and officials of City Hall are contending that this can no longer continue since hundreds of property owners are yet to pay their outstanding dues.
At present, the Council says that “four properties within the city collectively owe the Council in excess of $300 million.”
“Recently, the Council was granted judgment in the court against 14 property owners. A few of them came to the Municipality with their lawyers to settle their accounts; while there are those who have not contacted the Council.”
Additionally, the Georgetown Municipality has noted that owing back taxes is unacceptable since the M&CC continues to provide critical services to the citizenry which includes collection and disposal of waste, cleaning and desilting drains and canals, street lighting and public health services.
“This is (also) unfair to those citizens, who honour their civic obligation to the Council in a very timely manner,” the statement added.
It was recently reported that the City had run into financial problems which hindered it from paying its workers providing cleaning, garbage collection, drainage and irrigation and contractual security services.
“Therefore the Town Clerk is left with no other alternative but to implement Parate Execution to collect outstanding sums owed,’ the release outlined.

FM
KishanB posted:

They done teif out all the 500 million that granja given them to clean up.  The town clerk is a big tief.

the City was cleaned up!

cow fly, what's your freakin problem?

FM

Cash woes at City Hall continue… staff, garbage companies still unpaid

 

The two major solid waste disposal companies that serve Georgetown on Friday continued to express grave concern about City Hall’s failure to pay them millions of dollars for services provided during the past several months.

Employees of the Georgetown City Council were again not paid on Friday, despite a cautious assurance by a top finance official at City Hall on Wednesday, May 25, 2016.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan said he was aware of representation made by City Hall and that the Ministry of Finance was examining what could be done to relieve the cash crisis that has hit the Georgetown Municipality.  He could not say when the Finance Ministry would disburse funds to City Hall. Pressed on whether his intervention would result in cash being disbursed to the Municipality to pay staff and key service providers, Bulkan skirted the question and said “I don’t have a cheque book. The Central Government has given a subvention to the municipality but there are certain challenges. We will bring a responsive and responsible approach to these challenges,” he said.

Bulkan later said he would be speaking with the “administrative element” at City Hall to ascertain whether the financial problems told to him by Demerara Waves were factual. He said he had heard that salaries and other debts had not been paid.

The Public Relations Officer of City Hall did not return calls and Town Clerk, Royston King declined to speak with Demerara Waves Online News until possibly next week Monday. However, Chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee, Oscar Clarke confirmed that the Council was broke because property owners have not been paying their taxes.  Due to the municipality’s financial plight, Clarke hoped that the Town Clerk has already sought the Central Government’s assistance. “I would certainly want to make that approach if it has not yet been made given the situation about which I am not entirely unaware of,”  said Clarke.

Top officials of Cevons Waste Management Inc and Puran Brothers Disposal  complained bitterly that they were now tired of repeated promises of being paid.  Cevons is owed GYD$136 million for work done since August, 2015 and Puran Brothers has submitted claims amounting to more than GYD$40 million dating back to January, 2016.

Managing Director of Cevons Waste Management Inc; Morse Archer said he was told  to check back next week Tuesday for payment but his patience has now been exhausted by the “empty promises.” His company plans to write the Town Clerk, a move that could include an ultimatum for the suspension of garbage collection services. “That’s an option if you leave me with no alternative but I don’t want to cause much anxiety,” Archer told Demerara Waves Online News.

Kaleshwar Puran of Puran Brothers Disposal Inc. said his company was in a difficult situation and planned to make a firm decision on the way forward at a management meeting on Saturday. “We had to make arrangements to pay staff. Our resources are depleted,” he said. Puran, like Archer, also said his company was being told repeatedly to check back on given days for payment but none has been forthcoming.

The Chairman of the Finance Committee confirmed that he has signed a number of  vouchers but acknowledged that that did not translate to payments.

He said City Hall needed approximately GYD$55 million to meet some payments including salaries. Clarke said City Hall has received judgments against a number of property owners for the non-payment of GYD$200 million in rates and taxes. He said the judgments commanded the owners to pay up, failing which City Hall has a right to seize the properties.

Construction works have been also halted at the Kitty Market and a presidential park that is under construction on the Merriman’s Mall between Upper Church Street and Upper North Road.

FM
redux posted:
KishanB posted:

They done teif out all the 500 million that granja given them to clean up.  The town clerk is a big tief.

the City was cleaned up!

cow fly, what's your freakin problem?

The town clown is a big tief, he tief out most of the money by doing sole source contracts with his friends and family.

FM
KishanB posted:
redux posted:
KishanB posted:

They done teif out all the 500 million that granja given them to clean up.  The town clerk is a big tief.

the City was cleaned up!

cow fly, what's your freakin problem?

The town clown is a big tief, he tief out most of the money by doing sole source contracts with his friends and family.

having the city cleaned up for less than US$2.5 million is a hell of an achievement

if most of the money was stolen, it couldn't happen

i know a lot of people who don't trust the man . . . nail him to the wall if u have the goods

but all you are doing here is pulling down yuh pants and sticking out your tongue

stop behaving like a lil chile, arite?

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Redux, please give a source for the US$2.5 million amount that you mentioned for the cleaning of Georgetown. I have not heard a specific amount mentioned before. This is half a billion Guyana dollars, not a small amount.  Furthermore, please post the bidding process or advertisements for these contracts. While you are at it, please indicate the sources of the funding for the cleanup of Georgetown.

Z
Zed posted:

Redux, please give a source for the US$2.5 million amount that you mentioned for the cleaning of Georgetown. I have not heard a specific amount mentioned before. This is half a billion Guyana dollars, not a small amount.  Furthermore, please post the bidding process or advertisements for these contracts. While you are at it, please indicate the sources of the funding for the cleanup of Georgetown.

if you were actually paying attention instead of lunging stupidly to score 'gotcha' points, u would know that the $ figure originated with KishanB

he is the one affirming fraud and tiefing

so lissen up and learn something klown [logical fallacy alert!!!], all your other 'questions' should properly be addressed to KishanB . . . NOT ME!

smfh

FM

If you can comprehend what you read and write, you will realize that the $500million he mentioned was what he asserted that Granger gave them while you mentioned that having the city cleaned for less than US$2.5 million. We're no other funds used in the cleanup exercise? Why are you parroting what someone else wrote. No mind if your own or they have not given you any indication of how much they actually spent?  Why not seek verification instead of your hysterical and sex based comments. Still in the gutters, I see! 

My other questions are still out there for you to answer. Or are you still trying to divert?

Z
Zed posted:

If you can comprehend what you read and write, you will realize that the $500million he mentioned was what he asserted that Granger gave them while you mentioned that having the city cleaned for less than US$2.5 million. We're no other funds used in the cleanup exercise? Why are you parroting what someone else wrote. No mind if your own or they have not given you any indication of how much they actually spent?  Why not seek verification instead of your hysterical and sex based comments. Still in the gutters, I see! 

My other questions are still out there for you to answer. Or are you still trying to divert?

so, i told u where i got the US$2.5 million figure from

my only other contribution beyond observation was to ask kishanB to substantiate his assertion of "tief out all the 500 million," instead of pulling down he pants and showing he bt

i asserted nothing about tiefing, so it is not my burden to "verify" monies spent

when u assert . . . you are the one who needs to bring facts

go read a book and get a much needed education about PPP GNI's favorite logical fallacy - the one i continually point to . . . arite?

alyuh head haaard

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Zed posted:

Not even funny. Still not off the hook. Keep at it. You can score points for trying!

u pick up ignar firerage for kishanB who bolted and wisely left hapless u leading a charge of one

now u get burn bad bad and embarrassed

duh is wuh does happen to stupid antiman

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Does not get you off the hook. I see you are still seeking your aunty' s favours.  

You made a mis-statement. Just accept it. I took your advice once and accepted that I made a mistake. No one is infallible. 

The questions are there for you to answer if you can.

Z
Zed posted:

Does not get you off the hook. I see you are still seeking your aunty' s favours.  

You made a mis-statement. Just accept it. I took your advice once and accepted that I made a mistake. No one is infallible. 

The questions are there for you to answer if you can.

soo, u want to re-litigate

i doan usually allow mulligans . . . but today, i have the time

what is the "mis-statement" u dunce?

be specific

FM
Last edited by Former Member

I have had enough fun with you today. Bye! Just showing how silly you are to claim some victory which resulted from your limited comprehension skills. Still on the hook but seem not to know it. Bye again.

Z
Zed posted:

I have had enough fun with you today. Bye! Just showing how silly you are to claim some victory which resulted from your limited comprehension skills. Still on the hook but seem not to know it. Bye again.

how many times will u say "goodbye"?

how many ways can u bark like a rice eater, run hide for wan hour or 2, put your tail between your legs, yelp and run away again?

antimanism! . . . smfh

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Zed posted:

Are you not tired of getting beaten up? Caribny was just giving it to you on the Dr. Hinds post. What, are you a glutton for punishment? Or your job requirement is to keep posting? 

what a spectacle

calcified ole PPP dunce at the end of his rope looking to caribny for 'coping strategy'

not sure how much help he can offer . . . u are wan accomplished LIAR already

har de har har har har harr!

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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