Imbert: Committee reviewing WASA, will report next month

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert said a high-level committee is currently reviewing the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

He was piloting the budget debate in the Senate on Friday.

He said it was unacceptable that citizens did not have access to a supply of water.

The committee reviewing WASA will make its recommendations at the end of November, he said.

He stressed that the country can no longer afford to subsidise WASA to the tune of $2 billion annually.

Imbert said the 80 per cent debt-to-GDP ratio, caused by fiscal and social support for covid19, was manageable and affordable. He added the plan was by 2023-2024 to return to the previous level of 65 per cent.

On the $500 million injection into agriculture, Imbert pointed out that it is a 70 per cent increase over the budgetary allocation, and the increase demonstrated Government's commitment to accelerating the sector. He said the plan was to improve food security, mitigate the impact of shortages and increase the contribution agriculture makes to GDP.

He listed the grants that had been provided to support the vulnerable during the pandemic.

He also commended the private sector for providing close to 18,000 laptops and tablets as part of Government's "adopt a school" programme.