PNCR mum on debt to City Hall; PPP won’t seek rates and taxes cut

Last Updated on Friday, 30 August 2024, 18:28 by Writer

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Friday avoided questions at a news conference about its alleged GY$6.7 billion debt in rates and taxes to the Georgetown City Council for its headquarters at Sophia.

Though the news conference’s panelists included the Chairman, Shurwayne Holder and Treasurer, Elson Lowe, questions on Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s claim that the PNCR owes the multi-billion dollar debt to the municipality were not answered.

Mr Holder and Mr Lowe also did not respond to the question about whether the Sophia headquarters property is vested in the name of a company named Maikwak Limited to which the City Council’s demand notice was issued.

No response was also provided to the question on whether the PNCR would take advantage of City Council’s just approved decision to allow political parties to pay 25 percent of their valuation for rate purposes.

Meanwhile, Mr Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), said his party would not seek a rate reduction and that the rates and taxes for its Freedom House property are fully paid up. “Our taxes are paid up. We see three things outstanding…No, no no! We believe it’s wrong. We are opposed to it. Political parties must pay their full sum,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

City Mayor, Alfred Mentore on Friday again skirted questions about whether the PNCR’s Congress Place, Sophia property is registered in the name of Maikwak Limited. He said he did not know of any account in the PNCR’s name that owes GY$6.7 billion. “I am saying there is no account that I’m aware of under the People’s National Congress Reform that has a $6.7 billion dollar debt,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Asked if Maikwak Limited has a GY$6.7 billion debt, the City Mayor said, “I don’t know who is Maikwak. Maikwak is a separate personality and that has to be dealt with differently,” he said. Mr Mentore said he was “very cautious about what I say” because the claim was that the PNCR owes the debt.