Sooba promises probe into Minister’s tax waiver

- if Council approves action

September 15, 2014, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source - Kaieteur News

Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba has promised that should city Mayor Hamilton Green and councillors take a majority vote and demand an investigation into the controversial tax waiver of close to $30M by Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker, then she would have no choice but to obey their direction.

Local Govt. Minister Norman Whittaker

 

Royston King

 

Town Clerk (ag)
Carol Sooba

 

During a press conference at the Council’s Chambers last week, the Town Clerk told the media that “whatever direction the Council gives,” she will allow. She stated that any investigation to be conducted is based on the Council’s decision and, “the Town Clerk is the person who is the Chief Executive Officer.”

When asked about a report on the tax waiver being made to the Constabulary, Sooba emphasized that, “the Mayor has no authority to give the Chief Constable any instructions,” but the Council’s decision has to be carried over through her.

Chief Constable Andrew Foo told the media that he cannot investigate the matter involving the Minister because the procedure in which reports are made was not followed.

He explained that “the Constabulary is aware of some kind of report.” He noted however that the Mayor and others have engaged the Guyana Police Force, but were directed back to the Constabulary.

In the meantime, the Constabulary is awaiting a report from the Town Clerk, since Foo said that Council’s decision goes through her and then to the Constabulary.

Mayor Green, his Deputy Patricia Chase- Green and some prominent Councillors, a few weeks ago, lodged a complaint with Crime Chief Leslie James against what they say is a breach of procedure and a possible fraud committed by the Local Government Minister.

The Council claims that Minister Whittaker, via letter, instructed Sooba to waiver several millions in rates and taxes for the owner of former Strand Cinema, now the Universal Church.

The Council claims that the waiver was made for the property owner who is a prominent and well-off individual who owns other businesses.

They stated further that the Council was in court with the businessman since he refused to pay his taxes claiming that he was loaning the Charlotte and Wellington Street property to the Universal Church for free.

However, investigations by the Council, they said, showed that the church was paying a rent for the property. Outside of that, the period for which the businessman reportedly owed taxes did not include the period when the church was established.

It is alleged that the businessman was also seeking to sell the property to the Brazilian church and the Council refused to give approval, since the man owed millions on his taxes.

Without the Council’s knowledge, the tax was waivered and the Council claims that the property has been sold for a price in US dollars.

The Mayor and Councillors later voted for the Town Clerk and the City Treasurer to go on Administrative leave to facilitate a probe. But the two officers are still on duty and Councillors have been told that their decision is “not implementable”.

However, the Council’s Public Relations Officer Royston King, who had acted as Town Clerk for a brief period, is to return to court on Tuesday over the alleged waiver of taxes for a legitimate not –for- profit, charitable organization, Beacon Foundation.

The Mayor and Councillors are the only ones legally authorized to waiver any tax amounts, and despite them stating repeatedly that they gave King permission to write the tax waiver approval letter, King was brought before the courts.

The Council claims that King had merely written to the Foundation to say they were approved for exemption.

Source - http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....inisters-tax-waiver/