City councillors on Monday took a decision to review the implemented containers fee that businesses are now being charged.
On Friday last, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green met with members of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and indicated that businesses would only have to pay the fee of $25,000 for containers placed on the roadways.
However, during a query from Councillor Alfred Mentore, of APNU+AFC, on the lawfulness of the policy, other councillors suggested that there be a review.
Mentore questioned if the policy is gazetted and what is the document shown to persons paying the fee. “Is it advertised in the newspaper? Is it a lawful document?” he asked.
In responding to his queries, Mayor Green said that the decision is a lawful one which was made by the last council.
Also responding to Mentore’s queries, Town Clerk Royston King informed him that the council took businesses who refused to pay to court and won judgements in its favour.
The council made the decision to have businesses pay the fee since many keep containers on the roadways for lengthy periods, resulting in the obstruction of traffic and contributing to the roads being damaged.
Councillor Roopnarine Persaud of APNU+AFC, on Monday suggested that the council works with the customs department and collects revenues for all containers passing through the city.
He also suggested that the fees be reduced, with the requirement that all containers entering Port Georgetown attract a fee.
Councillor Junior Garrett of APNU+AFC said that an extraordinary statutory meeting should be called for there to be a full review of the policy with all the councillors.
APNU+AFC Councillor Gregory Fraser also suggested that with a reduction of the fee and having all containers attract a fee at the port, the city would be able to garner more revenue.
However, Chase-Green said that the council needs to consider the weight and size of containers being parked in the city and the others passing through the city during the review and based on that a fee would be calculated.
Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan noted that the most innovative ways to get businesses to pay the fees must be looked at. He also cautioned that the council proceeds in a way that would not have persons on the “edge of their seat” when a decision is made. “We must seek a positive outcome of the review… we must look at good intentions and ways and don’t allow citizens to feel burdened,” he added.
Additionally, Chase-Green brushed off comments by Councillor Welton Clarke of APNU+AFC when he suggested that consumers be considered during the review. The mayor said that she can no longer express sympathy to businesses when the council is hard pressed for finances to pay for its delivery of services.
She stated that she would not allow “oganisations telling me they are cutting the profit” margin when they pay the fee. “We want to have a decent city, not a slum yard,” she said, while indicating that the city needs revenue to sustain maintenance work. She added that when businesses want to add prices to commodities, the council has no say in that. “How can we be sympathetic when they (businesses) are getting everything and we are getting nothing…? They have enjoyed cleaned drains and no floods because of the cleaning we have done… but now we need to explore every single avenue [for revenue collection],” she stressed.
