Marvin Gonzales: Workers threatened over WASA changes

Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales has said several members of the New Services Department of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) came under threat as transformation of the department began in 2021.

He was speaking at the launch of an online automated permitting system for approval of plumbing, water and wastewater systems at the Public Utilities Ministry, Alexandra Street, St Clair on Monday.

Gonzales said when he visited the New Services Division in 2021, when the project started, there were people who were afraid to speak with him.

“They were threatened that if they collaborate on this exercise to bring about this transformation, 'You may face the consequences.' Imagine a department that will not speak to its customers: ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you' – that was the rule. 'Don’t come to the department, drop your application in a box, and we will send you an e-mail.’

"That’s the nature of the game and the culture."

But now, he said, "Because of the brave men and women who decided to go against that dysfunctional culture, the people of TT have an e-utility platform that will eradicate that history of dysfunction that existed, that cost the people of TT billions of dollars, and we now have a system that can facilitate economic development and ease of doing business in TT."

He congratulated the executive officers of WASA.

"I know you have been under tremendous attack because you did not comply with certain instructions to undermine this process.”

Gonzales said 18 months ago, he asked WASA’s chairman to look into the complaints coming to him about the New Services Division.

“There were many complaints, but nobody went into the division to find out why there were so many complaints reaching the desk of the minister, of people awaiting approvals and having to pay bribes to get their applications approved. I couldn't understand why people had to wait one year, two years, sometimes five years, in so many instances to begin development.”

He said shortly after a new service committee was set up, certain journalists approached him with documents allegedly received from people in WASA calling the integrity of the board members into question.

“I realised, on receiving these calls, what had come under the guise of investigative journalism was an attempt by some powerful quarters in this country who benefit from corruption and corrupt institutions, and the minute you decide to tackle it and take it on, they will come very hard at you.

"That is what I personally experienced over a year ago, when the attempt was made to bring about the transformation of the New Service Department."

He said the ministry responded to the questions raised and “what was supposed to be a bombshell report in a local daily newspaper disappeared. I asked the reporter, 'Did the person inside WASA who gave you that information tell you there were 5,000 applications locked away inside that division? Did they tell you citizens are paying bribes to get approval? Did they tell you those 5-6,000 applications are costing the economy $4 billion in potential investments?'

"I’m still waiting on a response. Such is the nature of life in TT.”

Gonzales said since the committee was formed, the 5,000-application backlog had been cleared, and the waiting time for development approvals and final certifications had been cut in half.