Georgetown: City Mayor, Ubraj Narine says he is prepared to release the names of businessmen and companies that are evading taxes.
He was at the time responding to a request by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to provide a list of the businesses that owe taxes.
Earlier this week, GCCI President, Nicholas Boyer, noted that the body is extremely disappointed by the “public and broad brush attack on the integrity of the entire business sector” by the Mayor.
However, he believes that direct appeals should be made to those establishments, rather than label every organisation with the same title.
“Before you got to that stage of just calling out high-end businesses, those comments may start to create a more contentious atmosphere…We understand why he is doing it because he may feel like these businesses have not been paying taxes over such-and-such a period so maybe, he feels frustration,” Boyer explained.
The Mayor had previously expressed frustration that over 140 “high-end” city businesses owe millions in taxes. This is affecting the City Council’s cash flow.
The Mayor had previously complained that while the City Council continues with its garbage collection, many businesses just dump their garbage on the street. He said that that is one of the issues that must also be addressed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Council.
He added that the Chamber could have played the part of a mediator between those errant businesses and City Hall and seized the opportunity to encourage businesses to pay up their dues to M&CC.
Mayor Narine noted that the business community in the city needs to work along with the new council to settle outstanding taxes, and assist in the building up and development of Georgetown.
He said he prefers to be cooperating with the business community rather than fighting businesses down.
“I want to build a bridge, not a wall, and I am surprised by the newly elected President (of the GCCI) with his statement. I did not attack anyone. It was a neutral statement,” he said.
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