More revenue can be collected from markets- M&CC Finance Committee Chair

By Mark Murray

Even with a deficit 2017 budget, City Hall has announced several increases in fees and the introduction of new fees for services provided by the council which includes going after stallholders and vendors.

The Mayor and City Council is leaving no stone unturned as the municipality has taken a position to increase the fees for stallholders and vendors plying their trade at its various facilities.

According to City Hall’s Finance Committee Chairman, Oscar Clarke the “Council is still of the view that more can be collected in revenue from our markets and related activities”

He said “as a consequence it has been decided that the entire revenue collection system of the market will be computerized, a special technology will be used to capture those vendors and stallholders who use our services and facilities.”

Several market stallholders and vendors in the past have accused the Georgetown Council of bullying them for fees whether it’s daily, weekly or in some cases monthly.

One of the main concerns raised by the stallholders and vendors is the failure of the council over the years to provide proper services at those facilities.

Meanwhile, by the first quarter of this year the members of business community can brace themselves for a special fee which will be applied to both commercial and industrial waste either solid or liquid.

The Commercial waste fee as it will be called is to be implemented on the grounds that it has become burdensome to the Municipality with the increase of such waste from the business community.

According to City Hall some 38 tonnes of commercial waste daily at a cost of one million dollar per week is removed from the Council.

The Municipality is convinced that the new fees can increase the council’s income approximately 53 million dollars this year.