Minister: Tobago Signal Hill pipeline project near completion

MINISTER of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales says a Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) pipe-laying project from Signal Hill to Store Bay local Road is near completion, three weeks after the project was stopped by Tobago police. He gave the assurance in a phone interview with Newsday on Friday.

The project was halted on June 17 when police went to the work site on Shirvan-Store Bay Local Road Connector demanding that the contractor remove all equipment, tools and tents off the road.

One day after the project was stopped, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales told Newsday he believed the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) attempted to sabotage the 7.6-kilometre pipeline project, three weeks after its sod-turning ceremony.

In response to Gonzales’ claim, THA’s Infrastructure, Quarries and Development Secretary Trevor James accused the minister of misleading the public. He denied the THA attempted to stop the project.

In a statement, the division claimed it wrote to WASA informing the authority it could not provide oversight for the pipe-laying project because of an injunction placed on the THA by the court. It asked for work to stop until June 22, when it expected the court matter to end.

It is alleged the instruction by the police to WASA's contractor cited the injunction – granted by the High Court to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) against the THA. That injunction stopped the THA from continuing roadworks at Shirvan-Store Bay because no authorisation for that project had been obtained from the EMA.

The THA has since challenged the injunction. It has also challenged the EMA's jurisdiction over the project in court.

However, Tobago ACP Collis Hazel confirmed that no directive came from his office for Tobago police to stop WASA’s operations.

In a statement, WASA said it was not a party to the proceedings currently before the court. The authority said after the THA communicated to it by letter on June 16, police went to the site on June 17, insisting the contractor remove his equipment.

Gonzales then vowed to take legal action against the THA for the delay of the pipe-laying project.

In an update on Saturday, Gonzales said the project was near completion and would be commissioned in less than two weeks.

He said, “They are about to be doing pressure testing and culvert crossing. It has progressed nicely, unhindered by the Tobago House of Assembly or anyone with ulterior motives. We press ahead and the project is going to be commissioned on July 17.”

The project is expected to improve the water supply to approximately 15,000 people in and around southwest Tobago.