Once legislation to reform local government is passed in the Parliament, the Government intends for regional corporations to collect and retain property tax.
This was disclosed at the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) media briefing following its general council meeting yesterday afternoon.
Speaking to the media, Energy Minister and PNM chairman Franklin Khan said the party felt the measures included in legislation to reform local government would result in a fundamental change in the governmental structure of the country.
He repeated that legislation would be tabled in the next session of Parliament, adding that there was support in all corporations for the reform exercise.
“There are two key parts to the reform, one that will allow corporations to collect and retain property tax and that is a PNM idea, and over the recent times when there was an issue with property tax roll-out by the Ministry of Finance, the UNC was claiming that money should go to regional corporations.
“We had campaigned on that but for that to happen there needs to be legislative change to the Audit and Exchequer Act.
He said the second key part will allow local government councillors to become full time and be given executive authority similar to what occurs in the Tobago House of Assembly.
He announced that a hybrid system, complementing local government reform would allow regional corporations to be involved in school repairs during the vacation.
