WASA accused of ‘geographical discrimination’

SOUTHERN districts are gasping for water, with thousands of people complaining in the Siparia and Penal/Debe areas. Debe villagers say they have had no water in their taps for more than 50 days.

After numerous such complaints, the chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) Dr Allen Sammy is accusing WASA of "geographical discrimination."

Sammy said after the news of water shortages in his district, WASA officials Anand Jagganauth and Sherland Sheppard visited his office on Friday.

They "listened attentively to my complaints that villagers, businesses, schools and public offices are suffering,” Sammy said. They taped the complaints and told the corporation they would adress the problem.

After the meeting, Sammy said, said he received a call from Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte telling him water had been cut in certain areas because of repairs to pipelines.

“Repairs were not done throughout the entire Penal/Debe area," Sammy said. "This is why I am saying it is discrimination."

It is obvious, he said, that there is a proper supply of water for people in the north and in certain areas in central.

"Yet south people are starving for a supply."

Around 6pm on Friday, Sammy said, he received a call from someone claiming to be from WASA's security department and asking for the names of those who had complained about WASA.

“Why would security call for a list when my office already made a complaint?” he asked.

Sammy said he will not sit idly by and allow the people of Penal/Debe to suffer for basic amenities like water. Water shortages in the dry season are not new, but this year south residents are being made to suffer, he said, and as head of the PDRC, he needs answers.

The problems continue, he said, and Penal residents are having to spend thousands of dollars to buy water to use daily.

Sammy said there has also been talk about a conspiracy between WASA staff and private contractors who sell water.

“In these hard economic times residents are forced to spend $500 to $800 for a tank(ful).”

He is appealing publicly to Le Hunte to look into this matter urgently.

Rupert Jaisingh from Debe Main Road told Newsday he believes WASA staff are managing the flow of water to these areas and “When the trucks sell the water at a high cost, WASA officials get a percentage from private contractors.”

Penal/Debe councillors, Sammy said, are now taking a look at what is happening with the truck-borne water being sold to residents of the area.

The country's four reservoirs – Navet Dam in Tabaquite, Caroni Arena Dam, Hollis Reservoir in Valencia and Hillsborough Reservoir in Tobago – he said.are capable of providing water for everyone.