HMC moves to improve revenue
Published:Monday | April 21, 2025 | 12:06 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) has plans to strengthen and improve its revenue collection machinery during the 2025-2026 financial year, with a view to ensuring the maximisation of its revenue collection efforts.
However, the corporation is concerned as, according to its chairman, Sheridan Samuels, it is not getting the cooperation of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development in all its efforts.
Samuels, who is also mayor of Lucea, in tabling his report at the HMC’s monthly meeting on April 10, outlined a number of steps being taken towards achieving the goal of improved revenue collections within the corporation.
To begin with, he pointed out that with the timeframe for development approvals now at 90 days, the HMC is committed to further reducing that timeframe in the interest of service improvements.
“We will be incorporating greater use of technology, and ongoing training of the officers who are key players in the process,” he stated, adding that significant steps would be taken to expedite and advance the corporation’s local sustainable development preparation.
“During this fiscal year, we will be placing great focus on all places of amusement and on all amusement events taking place in the parish,” he said, adding that within the next few days, notices will be served on all known entertainment venues within the parish, for them to regularise their operations.
NOT GETTING FULL COOPERATION
It was on the mention of advertising signs and billboards, and the steps to be taken to maximise the income from that area, that Samuels pointed out that the HMC is not getting the full cooperation of the Ministry of Local Government as it relates to that area of concern.
“The corporation has received applications and requests from companies wishing to install digital billboards within the parish, [but] currently the corporation does not have an established fee structure to facilitate such applications,” he stated.
“Consequently, we applied to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for the fee structure to be established, regrettably our request has been denied,” he lamented.
“We (within the HMC) believe that this decision by the ministry (of local government) represents a very backward step, and an impediment in the way of local government reform,” he argued.
He noted that the whole world is in a technological age, and, as such, there has been a serious increase in digital advertising worldwide, which embraces the technology. He appealed for the minister of local government, through his ministry, to reconsider the decision to refuse the HMC request with regard to the digital advertising.
With property taxes forming a significant portion of the funding that the corporation uses to meet its cost of operation, Samuels appealed to property owners across the parish to make every effort to voluntarily pay their required property taxes.
“We would like to appeal, to especially our large property owners, to voluntarily pay your property taxes, as it is the right thing to do,” he argued.
Turning his attention to shop tenants of the corporation, Samuels said that a team from the HMC has already met with some 30 shop operators from the Lucea Transportation Centre, and will be meeting with all its tenants (shops and otherwise) over the next few weeks.
“The corporation’s stance is to eliminate all (monetary) arrears, take decisive actions against all breaches, while allowing tenants to express their concerns and make recommendations,” he stated.
He insisted that such an approach will be maintained until there is satisfaction that the objectives of the corporation are being consistently met.
“Revenue is the lifeblood of any progressive organisation, and this is especially true for entities such as the municipal corporation that has to provide essential public services,” Samuels argued.