THA, PUBLIC UTILITIES MINISTER, WASA IN PIPE ROW

TEMPERS flared between Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and Tobago House of Assembly’s Infrastructure, Quarries and Development Secretary Trevor James on the weekend over a pipe-laying project at Shirvan-Store Bay Local Road Connector which could leave residents with dry taps.

The minister is now calling on Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher to investigate.

His call comes after police went to the work site on Friday demanding that the contractor remove all equipment, tools and tents off the road.

The instruction by the police to the contractor for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) cited the recent injunction granted to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), which has temporarily stopped the THA from continuing with roadworks st Shirvan-Store Bay. The EMA took legal action against the THA, which, it said, had no environmental clearance for the project.

However, in a release on Sunday, WASA said it was not a party to the proceedings currently before the court, nor did it have court documents. The authority said after the THA communicated by letter on Friday, police went to the site on Saturday, demanding the contractor remove his equipment.

The minister and WASA said checks with the assistant commissioner of police in Tobago revealed no instruction had come from his office.

Tobago’s ACP Collis Hazel confirmed he gave no instructions,  neither was he aware of that action by his officers.

Gonzales and WASA said they will be writing to the commissioner to have the matter thoroughly investigated.

On Saturday, Gonzales revealed to Newsday that three weeks after the sod-turning ceremony for a 7.6-kilometre pipeline from Signal Hill to Store Bay Local Road, the THA stopped the project. Gonzales slammed the THA, labelling its motives as petty and driven by political foolishness.

James could not be reached for comment but on Sunday, the division denied this. The division claimed it wrote to WASA informing the authority it could not provide oversight for the pipe-laying project because of the injunction.

The division said it asked for work to stop until June 22, when it expects the court matter to come to an end.

WASA accused the THA of stopping the pipe-laying project without providing a proper basis for doing so.

Meanwhile, Gonzales told Newsday he stands by his comments.

“Now that I put the issue of their moves to undermine the project out in the public domain, they are now seeking to distance themselves. Why did they send police to stop the work when they are aware that WASA received all statutory approvals for its work?
"The police commissioner should investigate the conduct of the police officers who went on the work site to stop the lawful work of WASA and its contractor on an important water-supply improvement project.

“I am not worried. We are focused on our responsibility to improve public-utilities service to all our citizens. Where there is unauthorised or illegal obstruction, we will seek the protection of the courts.”