Mayor back pedals on property “revaluation” talks with Finance Minister

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 February 2025, 22:08 by Writer

City Mayor Alfred Mentore on Thursday sought to reverse his stated intention to discuss “revaluation” of properties in Georgetown, after Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo vowed that government would not green-light any plan by the municipality to revaluate properties for the purpose of paying increased rates and taxes.

“Let me be clear: Although there has not been a revaluation of properties in the city for more than twenty (20) years, the request has nothing to do with the revaluation of properties in Georgetown at this time,” Mr Mentore said in a letter that was submitted to newspapers for publication.

But an audio recording of last Tuesday’s (February 25) statutory meeting reveals that the City Mayor said that he wanted to meet with the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, to discuss property valuation and revaluation as his previous efforts to meet with the Head of the Valuation Division, Julian Barrington, has been futile. “I suggest that we write to the Minister of Finance, who is the boss so I’m proposing a letter be written to the Minister of Finance setting up a meeting so that he could cause the Valuation Division or to be instructed to deal with matters of valuation in the city and those other revaluations that have to be done and also for us to talk about a number of other things affecting us and the relationship between the Council and the Valuation (Division),” the Mayor said at the Council meeting.

Reacting to the Mayor’s pronouncements, Mr Jagdeo told his weekly news conference that government would not support the revaluation of properties in Georgetown or elsewhere. He said that was the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration’s “very clear” position that there would be no revaluation that would lead to higher taxes. “I’m making it clear that we will not approve any revaluation exercise for properties in the City or in any other part of the country for that matter so if they have approached the Ministry of Finance to have that done, then the answer will be ‘no,” he said.

The Mayor, in his response, said the Vice President uttered misleading statements and appeared to have been badly advised about the purpose of his request for an urgent meeting with the Finance Minister, to discuss the valuation of properties in the city.

Mr Mentore said the most important reason for his request was aimed at ensuring that newly rebuilt properties, particularly those that have changed the City’s landscape as well as those that have undergone significant renovations are properly valued for rating purposes. He said if that was done, the fair share of taxes would be paid to the City Treasury. He said many of those properties occupy significant tenants in the oil and gas sector for offices, restaurants, warehouses, apartments, lodging houses, hotels and supermarkets.

“This is a matter of fairness, as there are many newly constructed or heavily renovated properties in Georgetown that are not paying their correct taxes because they have not been properly valued. This issue is one that directly affects the citizens who are consistently fulfilling their tax obligations—ordinary homeowners and pensioners who are doing their part to ensure the capacity of the Council to provide vital municipal services to local communities,” the Mayor said.

The City Mayor accused the Vice President and PPP General Secretary of deliberately misrepresenting the purpose of the request for the meeting in a way that could serve political ends – especially in a year when general and regional elections are expected to be held.

Mr Jagdeo, for his part, contended that the Mayor and the People’s National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity was plotting to create dissatisfaction and unease among people in Georgetown as the country prepares to go to the polls. He said people would believe that it is Central government that was increasing rates and taxes. “The residents of Georgetown must know that the PNC, Congress Place, wants their rates and taxes to go up,” he said.

Mr Mentore said Georgetown had long been plagued by the failure to properly value for rating purposes numerous properties, which has led to a situation where some are not paying their fair share of taxes while others have been burdened with an unfair portion of the tax load.

The Mayor hoped that the Vice President would reconsider his position and clarify his statements, he said were detrimental not only to the credibility of the Council but to the people of Georgetown who deserve transparency and fairness in matters of taxation and “where the Vice President literally has no business interfering with how we regulate our business.”