Delinquent rates and tax payers get one week before city recovers funds

City HallGeorgetown: The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has given delinquent rates and taxes payers one week to make contact, and work out payment issues with the Municipality before they employ legal methods to recover unpaid funds.

The notice dated Thursday 28, speaks directly to those individuals and businesses against whom the city would have won judgment for the nonpayment of rates and taxes, and serves as the start of the one week time frame.

The Municipality stated that, “Notice is hereby given to all individuals and entities against whom the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown have obtained judgment for unpaid rates and taxes that the Mayor and City Council intends to recover such rates by the remedies of distress and parate execution under section 221 and 222 of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01 within one week of publication of this notice.”

Town Clerk Royston King said that the Council could no longer wait on the good conscience of persons to fulfill their civic duty and as such would be vigorously pursuing unpaid sums owed to the Council. “As we all know there is a lot that has to be done for this city and we just do not have the money. We have bright, innovative ideas for the city but we don’t have the funds, so it necessary for us to encourage and in some cases demand these legally required fees.”

Last week the Council indicated its intention to take strong action against those owing the Municipality. More than $2 billion is owed in unpaid property taxes and after taking some 30 customers to court over the unpaid sums, it was determined that they owed the city more than $400m in fees and were ordered to pay over the money although to date, very little effort has been made in that regard.

Some of the individuals and entities owing the city are the Milk Plant Cowan Street, Kingston, GNEC Lombard Street, Small industries (NICIL) West Rumiveldt Industrial Site, Marriot Hotel (NICIL), Alpha Kingston, NICIL, Tract X, Kingston, Hotel Tower Main Street, Ashmin Trading High Street Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown Fisherman’s Co-Op Meadow Brook; Sussex Street; Werk-en-Rust respectively, Vinelli Industries Ltd. West Ruimveldt Industrial Site and Georgetown Sawmill Water and Schumaker Streets  Werk-en-Rust among numerous others.

 The Town Clerk has urged all property-owners who owe the Council to make URGENT contact with the agency’s Treasury Department.