The City Assessor Department Story

One day last year I went to the City Assessor's Department to change the ownership of a property. I don't quite remember the date, but it was the same day that a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister (my representative) was being debated in Parliament.

I remember this one clearly, because I was walking along Coffee Street, wearing a red T-shirt. When I reached across the street from American Stores, a woman sitting on the pavement with a notebook asked me what gang I belonged to. "What gang?" She said I could board the bus parked nearby if I registered for work. I went back home and changed my T-shirt.

At the City Assessor's office, I was told by Mr. Crawford that the declaration had to be signed by a lawyer. I explained to Mr. Crawford that an attorney is not an independent person and should not sign the declaration. I was told that more than 100 people had signed declarations and submitted them to the department with false deeds.

Mr. Crawford called another co-worker who squared up her chest and displayed all the mannerisms of a member of a herd of animals mentioned in the Bible. I told her that if the attorney signed the declaration, then no one would be responsible for a false declaration. The same way the department believed the certified copy submitted to them was true and accurate when it was in fact false, the same way the lawyer would believe it. The new owner should swear to the declaration before a commissioner of affidavit. I asked how many people were penalised for making false declarations and received no response.

The very aggressive employee of the Corporation told me that the directive had come from the Chief Executive Officer and if I did not agree with the decree of the City Corporation, I should challenge it in Court. End of her story.

I went to the CEO"s office but Miss Coudray was away, so I spoke to Mr. Ragoobar, the Deputy CEO, mentioned before in the blog on the contractor Hasoma Limited. Mr.Ragoobar called someone, "Savi" and after the discussion told me that nothing could be done.He suggested that I make an appointment to see the CEO. I left my name and phone number with the Secretary. I called once, but I never got to see the CEO. I crossed the street and paid a lawyer $200 to sign the declaration.

On November 11, I was sitting on a stool at the counter of the City Assessor's Office. A young woman came in to change ownership of a property. The officer (whose name I know) took the information and filled out the form and brought the declaration for Dirn Baptiste to sign. Dirn Baptiste (if it was indeed Dirn Baptiste) was given a form to take to Water and Sewerage Authority. End of that story.

If citizens all across this country are being asked to take their declarations to an attorney, then there is something wrong with the bye laws being created by the various municipalities. A statutory declaration has to be witnessed by an independent person, a Commissioner of Affidavit. When that declaration proves to the false, the act provides for a penalty. If 100 people have presented false declarations, why has the City Corporation not acted on it?

Is this just another story of how our City Corporation operates?