No increase in property taxes under a PPP-controlled City Council – Jagdeo

The governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) continues to push its campaign to ensure a majority representation across all municipalities as Guyanese gear up for the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGE).

And on Thursday, just three days before those elections, General Secretary of the PPP/C, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo clarified that there will be no increases in property taxes under a PPP/C-controlled council in the capital, Georgetown, and the nine other townships.

Jagdeo said he was responding to misinformation being peddled by the opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in an effort to excite fear among voters.

According to him, it follows their failed attempts to halt the elections by mounting a challenge in the High Court against the voters’ list and the new boundaries set by the Guyana Election Commission. Both cases were dismissed.

“We were the only party that contested the 2018 local government elections that said we will not raise rates.

“It’s a lie, there are no plans to increase rates,” Jagdeo told a news conference at Freedom House, Robb Street, as he urged people to ensure they do not fall prey to these lies.

Jagdeo said when there was evidence that the APNU+AFC would raise rates and taxes in the city, the PPP/C campaigned against it.

He recalled that in 2018, the then APNU+AFC government signed a $335 million contract with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and Axilogic Inc. to update the property inventory and valuation systems across local democratic organs in Guyana.

To this end, he said it was a plan of the APNU+AFC to raise taxes.

“They are still telling the vendors that we will break down their stalls and we have addressed that,” Jagdeo added.

Further, Jagdeo reminded reporters of the amnesty granted to property owners across Georgetown in 2017. During the amnesty period, November 15 – December 31, the Council received over $127 million.

But according to Jagdeo, much more was handed over in bribes and kickbacks to APNU+AFC members on the Council at the time.

Jagdeo persisted in calling out the APNU on their lies in the lead-up to the June 12 elections and also poured cold water on claims that the PPP/C was replacing old public infrastructure with new ones to increase property values and then siphoning off properties in “ghetto areas” to private people.

“Decency, honesty is not something you can associate with them,” Jagdeo said as he repeated claims that APNU councillors are currently engaged in selling council properties to private business interests.

The PNC-led APNU has been in control of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council for decades.