Stop using water as political weapon

THE EDITOR: This letter stems from a sense of anger at the discriminatory manner in which particular taxpaying citizens are being treated in the use of state resources.

As the elected representative for Oropouche West, I have tried both in Parliament and by numerous letters to Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales highlighting the severity of the water crisis in several parts of my constituency and asking the minister for an update about what actions are being taken. The minister has for five years arrogantly refused to acknowledge or respond to any query raised on behalf of thousands of constituents.

There are areas that have not received a pipe-borne water supply for as many as 30 days at a time, only to get an inadequate trickle for a few hours, insufficient to meet anyone’s need.

Private water trucking has become a thriving business as residents are being forced to spend thousands of dollars per month to buy water from private suppliers, and still pay WASA rates or face legal action and disconnection from WASA’s empty lines.

Years ago, Gonzales promised the provision of 24 wells to improve the water supply in the area. Where are those wells? The situation has gotten worse. In the one street in which WASA laid a larger pipe, the supply has in fact worsened with many now dependent on truck-borne water.

The minister is fully aware that WASA’s water trucking services are oversubscribed and unable to meet the demand caused by the lack of a pipe-borne supply. Is this deliberate? Is that why nothing continues to be done? Is it that the residents of Oropouche West do not matter to this PNM government, except to pay property tax? Is this deliberate discrimination? None of these are acceptable.

I call on Gonzales to stop using water as a political weapon against these citizens who pay his salary. I am willing to arrange a meeting to allow the minister to provide a truthful, honest explanation to residents as to why he continues to ignore them, and to aggressively resolve the severe water crisis they face.

DAVENDRANATH TANCOO

MP Oropouche West