THE EDITOR: I write to extend my heartfelt congratulations and warmest wishes to attorney Roshan Babwah on his recent appointment as chairman of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
The announcement, confirmed by Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath during the post-Cabinet media briefing on May 29, marks a significant moment not only for Babwah, but also for the authority and the wider national community.
Babwah brings to this critical role a unique blend of expertise in law, human resources, and industrial relations. With a strong track record in both the legal field and the public service sector, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fairness, integrity, and effective leadership. His ability to bridge legal frameworks, workforce dynamics, and sound governance makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead WASA at this time.
The challenges facing WASA are well known, but I am confident that under Babwah’s guidance the authority will move toward greater accountability, efficiency, and responsiveness to the needs of the population. His dedication to public service and deep understanding of organisational systems will undoubtedly contribute to the strengthening and modernisation of the institution.
On behalf of all who know and respect him, I extend my best wishes to Babwah as he begins this new and important chapter. May his tenure be marked by meaningful progress, innovation, and lasting impact.
THE Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has provided information on the number of customers who currently receive a 24/7 supply of water.
In a statement on May 21, WASA said it acknowledged recent public discourse regarding historical and current levels of 24/7 pipe-borne water service coverage in Trinidad and Tobago.
WASA said in keeping with its commitment to transparency, it sought to clarify “the factual status of service delivery to ensure the public is accurately informed.”
The authority said its verified records showed 19 per cent of its customers received 24/7 supply coverage (continuous service) from January to December 2024.
These records showed from January to April, 27 per cent of its customers are receiving a 24/7 water supply.
WASA said, “These figures reflect the authority’s ongoing efforts to address systemic challenges, including ageing infrastructure, climate impacts, and operational inefficiencies.”
The authority reiterated that achieving universal 24/7 coverage remains its paramount objective.
WASA said as the statutory body responsible for water management, it emphasizes that all official statistics are derived from rigorous monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
The authority reaffirmed its dedication to delivering an equitable, reliable, and sustainable water supply to all citizens.
WASA said, “Strategic initiatives, including infrastructure upgrades, leak reduction programs, and enhanced resource management, are being prioritized to accelerate improvements in service reliability.”
Recently, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath and his immediate predecessor Marvin Gonzales have presented different figures on the number of people receiving a 24/7 water supply.
At a post-cabinet news conference at the Red House, Port of Spain on May 15, Padarath said only 19 per cent of the population received a 24/7 water supply over the last nine years.
At a news conference on May 16 at Balisier House, Port of Spain , Gonzales said, “Nothing could be further from the truth.” Gonzales claimed 61% of the population received a 24/7 water supply.
He added Padarath’s comment was made based on an erroneous statement made by a WASA official to members of a parliamentary joint select committee and that statement was subsequently corrected.
THE EDITOR: I write to express serious concern regarding the decision by the United National Congress (UNC) to discard the previous government’s transformation plan for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), and instead revert to the antiquated system that has long proven ineffective.
WASA has been plagued for decades by inefficiency, bloated staffing, poor service delivery, and systemic corruption. This is no secret. The PNM’s reform plan, while ambitious, was a necessary step toward overhauling a broken institution and delivering reliable, modern water services to the people of TT.
It emphasised transparency, accountability, technology-driven solutions, and a sustainable model to ensure the long-term viability of the authority. And, yes, it cost money; no exercise of such magnitude could be conducted for free.
WASA’s new executive management structure was installed last December 1. And WASA would obviously have to pay more to attract the quality of leadership talent required to effect change. The next phase of the transformation would have been a 50 per cent reduction in the size of the wider management structure. That’s where the authority would have started to realise savings.
The UNC’s move to abandon this plan – seemingly to curry favour with labour unions – is not only politically short-sighted, but deeply irresponsible. Reverting to the outdated model will do nothing to improve water distribution, reduce leaks and waste, or modernise infrastructure. Instead, it will entrench the very issues the population has suffered under for years.
Reform is never easy, and vested interests often resist change. However, leadership requires the courage to do what is right, not what is expedient. By discarding a forward-looking plan in favour of appeasing powerful groups, the UNC is prioritising political gain over national development.
The citizens of this country deserve better. We deserve a WASA that works – one that delivers clean, reliable water to every home and community. We cannot afford to keep pouring resources into a failed system that has already proven incapable of reforming itself without decisive action.
Let us not turn back the clock. Let us move boldly into the future with the political will to fix what is broken – not preserve it for the sake of convenience.
Can we keep our water the way it should be – colourless and odourless?
THE EDITOR: Once again the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) finds itself in the headlines – and as usual it is for all the wrong reasons.
WASA has become the perennial punching bag of successive administrations and a political football, kicked back and forth between rejected politicians seeking relevance and inexperienced newcomers desperate to make a name for themselves.
Yet, amid the political theatre the core issue remains unresolved: an antiquated water distribution system that has long outlived its usefulness.
We have been told – repeatedly – that the major problem is not water production, but distribution. The pipelines, many over 60 years old, are crumbling. Replacing them is projected to cost between $2 and $3 billion. If this is indeed true, then it is time to stop the political tap-dancing and confront the problem head-on. Bite the bullet. Find the money. Prioritise national well-being over political convenience.
Rather than pouring billions into vanity projects – many of which serve no pressing public interest – we must redirect national resources to where they are most urgently needed.
A functioning, equitable water system is not a luxury. It is a basic human right. Every dollar spent on underused infrastructure or over-glorified real estate for government offices is a dollar stolen from the effort to give every household consistent, reliable access to water.
We are told that a port in Toco is the solution to the Tobago transport problem. Yet, this project seems absurdly detached from the lived realities of ordinary citizens. How is a port in Toco supposed to improve access when the roads leading to it are already congested and under-maintained? Are we building infrastructure for convenience or for show?
We are also told that various ministries require new buildings because the existing ones are old and outdated. This may be true, but the solution isn’t to abandon these buildings and construct shiny new ones that further bloat public expenditure. Refurbish what exists. Revitalise rather than replace. And while we pour concrete into new buildings, the old ones rot into urban blight, becoming havens for vagrancy and crime, symbolising governmental neglect and inefficiency.
Meanwhile, citizens continue to suffer through erratic water schedules, with some areas going days – sometimes weeks – without a reliable supply. The excuse that “there is no money” rings hollow when billions are being earmarked for projects of questionable urgency. The truth is, it’s not a lack of resources – it’s a lack of political will and prioritisation.
The public will rally behind any administration – red, yellow or otherwise – that shows the courage to fix the water problem decisively. We’re not even asking for perfection. Give us water for all, six days a week. Show us a plan. Make tangible progress. That alone would be a legacy worth celebrating.
It’s time to stop making excuses. Fix WASA, once and for all.
THE theatricality of the moment was not lost on anyone when the Prime Minister tore up a copy of the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) transformation plan devised by the previous government.
The action was clearly a nod of solidarity to the unions representing public servants that supported the UNC on the campaign trail and a pointed signal to workers that the UNC-led “people’s government” would preserve jobs instead of cutting them.
The theatre around the pointed rejection of the WASA transformation plan has triggered a rather unhelpful round of finger-pointing.
Former public utilities minister Marvin Gonzalez heatedly responded to the rejection of the plan he had been driving to completion for more than two years, arguing that the abandoned restructuring strategy would have saved $43 million annually, instead of the $30 million promised by the Prime Minister.
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath fired back, accusing Mr Gonzalez of presiding over a bloated management structure that costs the utility $74 million annually.
WASA has not benefited from decades of being used as a point of political leverage. The utility is clearly overstaffed and in need of greater emphasis on real-world efficiency improvements.
In the six weeks that he held the job, former public utilities minister Colm Imbert continued to insist that there would be no increase in water rates, but it remains to be seen what fresh approaches a clear-eyed, post-election assessment of the situation at WASA will inspire.
What’s been needed at WASA for far too long is sharper thinking about what the utility is doing, how it can improve a staggering loss of water on its ageing lines estimated to be half of the potable water that’s pumped from its wells and reservoirs.
The authority’s new CEO, Keithroy Halliday, is not required to join the exodus of the utility’s state-appointed leadership and his presence as a subject-matter professional should be engaged positively by the new government as an asset, not a liability.
He has correctly understood that the authority is in serious debt, the red ink reaching $3.3 billion by 2019, and acknowledged that the problems it faces demand long-term, complex solutions. It’s impossible to have cheap water, a reliable water retention and delivery service and coddled workers. That axis of doom has been the rot at the heart of WASA’s failures.
Mr Halliday noted in January that improving delivery gives the authority better grounds to bill and generate revenue.
Mrs Persad-Bissessar may not want to cut the unionised-employee roster at the authority, but she must press Mr Padarath and Mr Halliday to pursue strategies of strategic retraining and upskilling that make better use of the authority’s human resource asset, the key to addressing many of the challenges that WASA faces.
FORMER public utilities minister Marvin Gonzales has condemned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath for scrapping a transformational plan for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), which he said would have saved taxpayers $43 million annually instead of the $30 million figure she mentioned at post-cabinet news conference on May 15.
Gonzales, who is also Arouca/Lopinot MP, described Persad-Bissessar and Padarath’s actions as payback to the Public Services Association (PSA) for being a member of the UNC’s “coalition of interests” in the April 28 general election and maintaining a status quo in WASA which benefits the PSA and not the population.
He made these statements at a news conference at the PNM’s Balisier House headquarters, Port of Spain on May 16.
On May 15, Persad-Bissessar ripped up the plan to applause from government ministers and PSA president Felisha Thomas. Former PSA president (now Labour Minister) Leroy Baptiste was among the ministers who applauded the decision to scrap the plan.
She said the UNC’s plans to restructure WASA will focus on the executive posts in the authority and this will result in annual savings of over $30 million.
Padarath described the WASA management structure as top-heavy with 34 executive positions whose salaries totalled over $74 million.
On Persad-Bissessar’s claim the UNC’s restructuring of WASA would save taxpayers’ $30 million annually, Gonzales said, “Nothing could be further from the truth.
“The previous executive positions that this new structure replaced…which included a CEO, directors, heads, senior managers etc…40 persons compared to 38 persons in this new management.”
The real savings, Gonzales continued, would have come from restructuring lower level managers at WASA from 422 to 246 at another level. “That was where the savings was supposed to be achieved. It was not at the executive level.
“The savings was supposed to be achieved deeper down as you go into the bargaining units where the WASA, executive management and the board had to enter into negotiations and consultations with recognised unions representing WASA (workers).”
The PSA represents the majority of WASA’s workers,
He added the cost savings after the restructuring of these management positions would have been $43 million annually.
“That is what was ripped up yesterday by the honourable prime minister.”
Gonzales said the removal of the 34 executive positions raises an interesting question.
“Who is going to lead the authority?”
Gonzales said Persad-Bissessar has hinted WASA will return to the 2010-2015 management structure it had under her first administration.
He added when the PNM assumed office in September 2015, it found documents which showed WASA had a “management structure that was never approved by cabinet…with salaries that were never approved by the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer).”
Gonzales said if the UNC is reverting to this, “then you are increasing the cost of the management of the authority.”
This, he continued, was contrary to the PNM’s WASA restructuring plan to reduce the authority’s cost by $43 million annually.
Gonzales asked what did Persad-Bissessar achieve by ripping up the plan.
IN RIPPING FORM: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar rips up the then PNM government’s transformation plan for WASA, at the post-cabinet press conference on May 15 at the Red House. –
He said the UNC-led People’s Partnership (PP) coalition government approached the Inter-American Development Bank for a loan to do some water sector projects.
Gonzales quoted from a PP govt document which said WASA planned to undertake a five year capital investment programme of over US$1.5 billion to improve its efficiency and this would include restructuring the authority.
He said that initiative resulted in WASA’s staff being reduced by 5,000 people and none of the projects identified in this programme being done.
Gonzales claimed the UNC is returning WASA to a time when there was corruption after corruption and mismanagement after mismanagement.
He recalled when he PNM’s WASA plan was laid in Parliament and referred to a joint select committee (JSC) which Padarath was a member of. Gonzales said this JSC approved the plan but made certain recommendations to the government.
Gonzales said because former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley believed the plan was so critical to WASA’s improvement, he had two cabinet sub-committees involved in its development.
The former, he continued, oversaw the plan’s creation before it was laid in Parliament last February.
Gonzales said the latter, which was chaired by former planning minister (now Opposition Leader) Pennelope Beckles, took a second look at the plan after it was approved by the JSC.
He dismissed Padarath’s statement that the PNM negotiated a US$200 million loan from the IDB to improve WASA.
Gonzales said it was a US$80 million loan but additional funding could be sought from the bank, once certain conditions were met.
He described Padarath’s conduct at the May 15 post-cabinet news conference as unbecoming of a government minister.
Gonzales claimed WASA’s efficiency was sacrificed as a reward to the PSA for its support for the UNC in the election.
He also claimed some of the lower level managers who would have been affected by the restructuring were PSA members and the UNC’s actions would maintain the status quo in the authority in the favour of these people.
Gonzales told Persad-Bissessar the water supply improvements she referred to since the election were because of ongoing PNM projects and not the result of the UNC winning the election.
He reminded Persad-Bissessar there was a water-trucking racket in Morne Diablo for 15 years and it was the PNM who acted to stop it.
Morne Diablo falls in the Siparia constituency which Persad-Bissessar represents in Parliament.
Gonzales said the UNC has no moral authority to speak about any development in the water sector.
He promised the PNM will expose every untruth the government utters.
PUBLIC Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has rejected his predecessor Marvin Gonzales’ defence of the PNM Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) transformation plan which Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced has been rescinded by the new UNC government.
At a news conference at the PNM’s Balisier House, Port of Spain, on May 16, Gonzales said the PNM’s plan would have resulted in savings of $43 million at WASA and not the $30 million figure Persad-Bissessar mentioned at a post-cabinet news conference at the Red House on May 15.
At that conference, Persad-Bissessar tore up a copy of the PNM’s plan.
Gonzales also claimed the UNC’s actions were political payback to the Public Services Association (PSA) for its support in the April 28 general election and will reduce WASA’s efficiency.
In a WhatsApp comment on May 16, Padarath rejected Gonzales’ statements. He stood by the statements he and Persad-Bissessar made on May 15.
Padarath said Gonzales “is now attempting to cover up his incompetence and anti-worker agenda.”
He repeated, “While the big sawatees of the PNM fed at the trough of WASA, people in this country were suffering to put food on the table.”
At his briefing, Gonzales said the plans to restructure WASA were directed at the management and not the ordinary workers.
Padarath claimed the PNM intended to fire WASA workers had it won the election.
He said this included 800 monthly, 217 management, 583 supervisory and 1,200 daily paid positions being made redundant at the authority.
Padarath repeated, “The salaries, inflated bonuses and perks of the executives amounted to $70 million annually. The salaries and allowances of the new management structure of WASA is $40 million with a $30 million saving.”
He said, “I think the massive election blow to the PNM might have affected Gonzales’ ability to calculate properly.”
The UNC won 26 seats in the election. The PNM retained 13 and the Tobago People’s Party won the two Tobago seats.
Padarath rejected Gonzales’ statements about corruption at WASA under the former UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition government from May 2010-September 2015.
He served as an adviser in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) at that time.
In addition to being public utilities minister, Padarath is also a Minister in the OPM.
He said,”Gonzales should be the last person to speak about corruption.”
Padarath claimed a contract was issued to a PNM campaign manager in March by a former senior government official.
He claimed Gonzales could recognise the name “when more is divulged in the public’s interest.”
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says government has taken a decision to scrap a Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) transformation plan created under its PNM predecessor.
In making this announcement at a post-cabinet news conference at the Red House in Port of Spain on Thursday May 15, Persad-Bissessar ripped up a copy of this transformation plan to the applause of government ministers and Public Services Association (PSA) president Felisha Thomas who attended the conference.
Among the ministers applauding Persad-Bissessar’s actions was Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste, Thomas’ immediate predecessor as PSA president. The PSA represents the majority of WASA’s workers.
Persad-Bissessar said, “Today, the Cabinet rescinded the previous cabinet decision of the PNM to brutalise, demonise and attack WASA workers, WASA management.”
She added that changes to WASA’s management structure have resulted in savings of over $30 million annually.
“That then we can use to go into critical areas of national development.” Persad-Bissessar said there have already been improvements in water delivery in some parts of the country.
She praised the PSA for opposing the PNM’s WASA transformational plan.
“We (UNC) worked with the PSA. The PSA stood with you (workers) to defend your jobs in WASA.” Persad-Bissessar urged WASA workers to now do their part to ensure the authority delivers water for all.
“You know the saying, ‘one hand doesn’t clap.’ We need two. One hand does not clap but you know what? One hand can slap!” Persad-Bissessar said, “Let’s put the two together and clap.” She added this was what WASA workers asked for.
“We have honoured our promise and we ask you now, let’s put our hands together. All hands on the wheel and deliver water for all.”
ONLY 16% HAS 24-HR SUPPLY
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath supported Persad-Bissessar’s views. He said that for the past nine years, only 16 per cent of TT received a 24-hour water supply.
Padarath described WASA’s current management structure as top heavy, “with 34 executive positions (whose salaries) totalling over $74 million.” He claimed under the PNM, there was a focus on big jobs “for the boys and girls in the party” and he promised to provide more details on this at a later date. He claimed some of the names would shock the nation.
STILL AROUND…FOR NOW: WASA CEO Keithroy Halliday. – File photo by Jeff K. Mayers
He identified south, central and east Trinidad as areas which were starved of water supply.
Padarath claimed the PNM did not use a US$200 million loan it received from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) during its two terms in office in order to improve water resources and supplies to the nation.
He said some of WASA’s pipeline infrastructure dated back to the 1960s and has not been upgraded. Padarath repeated Persad-Bissessar’s assurance that scrapping of the PNM’s restructuring plan would not result in any job losses at WASA.
He said incumbent CEO Keithroy Halliday, who was appointed under the former PNM government, remains in office at this time, but added government will be reviewing the authority’s strategies going forward.
Padarath rejected a statement read out by a reporter which was allegedly from former public utilities minister Marvin Gonzales, condemning scrapping of the WASA transformational plan. He repeated that water delivery did not improve under the PNM over the last nine years.
He also alluded to a smaller, leaner management team at WASA which would be mandated to ensure water for all.
Thomas and Baptiste thanked government for scrapping the WASA plan. The PSA head said, “For the upcoming period, we can rest, we can be happy. We can plan our lives as workers in this country.” Thomas added WASA workers will work with government to improve water supplies to the population.
9 WASA HEADS RESIGN
Baptiste, the Labour Minister said, “Today, I am proud to be part of a cabinet that would heard the cries of these workers and would by the stroke of a pen, give them the regard and the respect that they deserve.”
Ex-minister Gonzales has repeatedly spoken about plans to restructure WASA and cut wage costs.
In July 2022, he announced plans to cut WASA’s 426-strong management team by 50 per cent. He said this was the first step in “transforming” the State-run utility and cutting its operating costs by 25 per cent.
At a briefing at his Port of Spain office on July 21, 2022, Gonzales said the restructuring was necessary to make WASA an agency that will “meet the needs of the population but not be a burden on the Treasury.”
On September 5, WASA’s Board of Commissioners announced the company’s new nine-member executive management team which, it said, “brought together a wealth of experience and expertise to its ongoing transformation and would officially start work on November 1.”
During a Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives meeting on October 14, 2024, Gonzales said government was streamlining executive management positions at WASA.
The estimates of revenue and expenditure for statutory bodies show for 2025, WASA’s budget is set at $399 million, compared to the $466 million spent last year This was an increase on the $458 million spent in 2023.
According to a story published in The Newsday on May 13, WASA announced the resignation of nine people from its board of commissioners.
These resignations were announced on the TT Stock Exchange’s website pursuant to section 64 (1) of the Securities Act. Commissioner Jaqueline Cheesman’s resignation took effect on May 2.
Chairman Ravindra Nanga, SC, and commissioner Maruicia Ramnarine Singh-Zoro also tendered resignations effective May 3. Commissioner Colin O Bartholomew’s resignation took effect May 4.
Deputy chairman Alston Fournillier and commissioners Charisa-Marie Francois, Joel C Edwards all tendered their resignations, effective May 5. Carol P Austin tendered her resignation effective May 6.
THE Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has announced the resignation of nine people from its board of commissioners, in a media release sent on May 13.
The resignations were announced on the TT Stock Exchange’s website pursuant to section 64 (1) of the Securities Act. Commissioner Jaqueline Cheesman’s resignation took effect on May 2.
Chairman Navindra Nanga, SC, and commissioner Maruicia Ramnarine Singh-Zoro also tendered resignations effective May 3. Commissioner Colin O Bartholomew’s resignation took effect May 4.
Deputy chairman Alston Fournillier and commissioners Charisa-Marie Francois, Joel C Edwards all tendered their resignations, effective May 5. Carol P Austin tendered her resignation effective May 6.
In a separate release, WASA extended congratulations to the Minister of Public Utilities and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Barry Padarath on his appointment.
It also congratulated Clyde Elder as Minister in the Ministry of Public Utilities.
“WASA welcomes these appointments and looks forward to collaborating closely with the new leadership to advance the critical mandate of delivering reliable, efficient and sustainable water and wastewater services to the people of TT,” the release said.
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath says he has been meeting with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to address challenges in the efficiency of water distribution.
“One of the issues I spoke continuously about while being in opposition was the issue of schedules.
“While WASA produced schedules, no one was holding them accountable in terms of whether people were actually receiving water in their taps,” he told Newsday on May 12.
He said he has met with personnel responsible for various distribution centres and dams to ensure schedules are met.
He also said schedule revisions are underway to remedy the issues of irregular supply in areas that can go weeks without water.
“We are attempting to rotate the distribution of water in some of these areas because it cannot be that some parts of the country get a 24/7 supply of water while some get none at all.”
Padarath said he has also met with the National Maintenance Training and Security Company (MTS) to address school repairs and construction – issues he says are high on his priority list.
He said he also plans to meet with TSTT and the Regulated Industries Commission.
“I don’t intend to stay in the ivory tower of the ministry.
“I intend to go to the boardrooms where he decisions are being made, where it really impacts on the day-to-day running of the company and the lives of citizens.”
Barry Padarath, Minister of Public Utilities and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister promised residents there will be no increase of water or electricity rates in the near future.
He said while the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) was going through its processes, the government would put an immediate stop to any rate increases.
The RIC completed its review of electricity rates in November 2023 and the former administration was evaluating possible government subsidies up to the general election on April 28.
To increase water rates, Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had to submit a business plan, which it did in November 2024. The next step was to review and discuss a business plan with WASA before more rounds of public consultation before a final determination was made.
After his swearing-in as minister at President’s House, Port of Spain on May 3, Padarath said the PNM government gave a lot of mixed signals about the fate of WASA. He said he intended to see the plan submitted by WASA before making any moves.
“The PM has already articulated that we’ll put an immediate stop to any increase with respect to electricity and water, but we must see what that reform meant, particularly for labour, for employees.”
“I want to assure WASA that the government will not take any steps until we are fully apprised of what is the true state of what was submitted by the former administration to the RIC in terms of how they saw the reformation of WASA happening.”
Another issue he planned to address was that of the hacking of TSTT in 2023 which led to the data of over one million people being put on the dark web. He said the report on the situation had not been shared with the public but he hoped to access it and lay it in Parliament.
“I think the citizens of TT have a right to know what really occurred. It’s been almost a year and a half that cyberattack took place in TSTT and there has been no full ventilation on that matter. It is a national security issue separate and apart from an attack on our cybersecurity.”
Other concerns included TTEC’s large debt to the National Gas Company, and that ministries and state agencies that had not paid its bills for years while the average customer was disconnected if they missed one payment.
FINANCE Minister Vishnu Dhanpaul has said there could be an increase in the senior citizens’ grant once the PNM is re-elected on April 28.
He did so while speaking to the media after the opening of the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) new corporate office at Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando on April 23.
The senior citizens’ grant or senior citizens’ pension is offered under the Social Development and Family Services Ministry.
The maximum amount of this grant is $3,500 per month, for people 65 years and older with income not exceeding $2,500.
Dhanpaul said, “There will be no adjustments. No interference I should say. Senior citizens’ grant. There will be absolutely no interference with the senior citizens grant. The only thing would be any significant upward adjustment.”
Asked if this was on the cards once the PNM won the election, he replied, “Very much so.”
Dhanpaul elaborated on his statement.
“Once the fiscal allows, we will adjust upwards, depending on the type of fiscal space that we have.”
He told the media there was something in the ministry which was defined as mandatory expenditure and explained what that meant.
“We spend $4.5 billion every month without the country earning one dollar.”
Dhanpaul said one aspect of that expenditure was “the payment of social services.”
He rejected claims by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at a meeting in St Joseph on April 22 that the PNM would raise taxes and implement harsh economic measures on the population should it win the election.
“The government has no plans of doing that if re-elected. Everything is outlined in our manifesto.”
Dhanpaul said the PNM would engage in an unprecedented drive towards economic diversification.
He added that drive would see increased allocations in areas such as agriculture, tourism and sports.
Dhanpaul was confident he would present the 2024/2025 budget in Parliament later this year.
“If I wasn’t confident I would not be here.”
In a video posted on Facebook later in the day, Prime Minister Stuart Young also rejected claims made by other speakers at the UNC’s meeting.
He said Public Services Association (PSA) president Felicia Thomas alleged the PNM planned to privatise the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
“I stand here today and categorically give you the assurance that the PNM and the government that I lead has absolutely no intention of privatising WASA or laying off workers.
Young reminded the public WASA was restructured and the authority has been able to boost water supplies with the help of its workers.
He urged people to “reject these lies from the UNC platform and in particular, reject the head of the PSA and all of her falsehood, her lies.”
PRESIDENT of the Public Services Association (PSA) Felisha Thomas has called out Prime Minister Stuart Young, challenging him to deny the existence of a cabinet subcommittee report which she says speaks to the dissolution of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
She dismissed Young’s claim that her revelations about the restructuring of the authority and proposed dismissal of workers were false allegations.
Instead, she accused him of being less than honest as she read from what she said was a cabinet sub-committee report in which the restructuring of the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) and the separation of workers was spelled out.
Addressing a UNC campaign meeting at St John’s Ambulance Hall, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain on April 23, Thomas dismantled Young’s criticism and his denial that his government had any intention to privatise WASA or T&TEC.
As she mounted the platform after another labour leader, president general of the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget, she reminded WASA workers that the cabinet subcommittee report clearly stated that the only solution to the issues plaguing that authority was the incremental dissolution of WASA.
“That report did not put forward any other options. Just one. Let me remind WASA workers that report means that every single worker would be terminated, dismissed, fired, sent home.
“I made no false allegations. I spoke facts. That cabinet subcommittee report is not mine. It is yours, Stuart, your government’s, your party. Claim it, own it.”
She also called on him to clarify whether, in his haste to wash his hands from the plans like Pontius Pilate, he was labelling his colleague and former minister of public utilities Marvin Gonzales a liar.
“When Marvin said to TT that WASA was overstaffed, was he misleading the nation, was he spreading propaganda when he said 426 managers would be going home. Was he (Gonzales) lying. Is that what you saying Stuarty?
“Is Stuart Young confirming for WASA workers, for the population that his government are liars. Is you sign the damn report Stuart. Your signature is on it. But Stuart saying his government has no intention of sending home WASA workers. You hear lie. That is lie.”
Thomas itemised some key points from the report which stated WASA was overstaffed by 2,500. That the authority is likely to exist for a while, transferring the full operations to a Water Management Company.
“Page 115 says, you Stuart Young, recommended a wastewater entity managed by the new wastewater management company with private sector participation.”
She called on him to tell WASA workers in the wastewater department what would be their fate, because in the new management structure, there was no wastewater department.
She called on supporters not believe Young and his government, as it was under their watch in 2018 they promised they were not going to shut down Petrotrin, but every worker was sent home.
“Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. We don’t want your assurances. You could keep it. This is the same man who only two weeks ago, realised food prices gone sky high.”
She said Young was banking on workers forgetting that for the past ten years, his government failed to appoint workers and fill vacancies. That it is the same PNM that caused workers to be turned away from financial institutions because their jobs were not safe.
This is the same PNM that causing workers to be working for 2013 salaries in 2025, the same PNM that refuse to pay NIB workers their 2014-16 increases, the same PNM that failed to pay retirees their pensions based on their final salaries.
“So, what would labour do?” she asked as she led them in a collective chorus to “reject them. Vote them out, vote them out.”
Patricia Boucaud-Jordan, the mother of murdered Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) watchman Rawle Jordan, affectionately known as “Chubby”, is pleading with Minister of National Security Marvin Gonzales to help steer the nation back to God.
In an interview with Newsday on April 11, she also urged her son’s killer(s) to repent for their sins, give their lives to God and confess to the police.
April is already a painful month for Boucaud-Jordan. In 1988, her husband was killed in the Camp Omega explosion, a tragic incident at the army training site seven miles northwest of Port of Spain.
The blast, triggered by a brush fire that reached the army’s ammunition bunker, killed at least six people, injured 20 and flattened the camp.
“Imagine struggling for over 30 years as a single parent, only for someone to come and take your child’s life like that,” she said, her voice breaking. “You can’t imagine the pain we are feeling as a family.”
Jordan, a father to a 17-year-old son, was at work at the Chiquito Water Treatment Plant in Upper Santa Cruz on April 10 when he was shot and killed.
Police on patrol were alerted by command centre after residents reported hearing gunshots coming from the compound on Chiquito Street. When officers arrived, they found Jordan lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to the left shoulder, right arm and upper right chest.
Crime-scene investigators recovered seven spent 9-mm shells from various manufacturers, along with one projectile.
Boucaud-Jordan said her grandson was struggling to cope with the loss. When asked if anyone from WASA had reached out to the family, she said no. She described Jordan as a loving and caring person.
“He loved children and animals, especially dogs.”
She believes jealousy may have been the motive behind his murder.
“I will remember him as a loving child. He lived for his son. Every child makes mistakes, but nothing could justify killing him.”
Jordan himself had been grieving in the months leading up to his death. His fiancée, whom he was set to marry in December, died in his arms from cancer-related complications.
“She was at home. By the time the ambulance arrived, she had already passed away in his arms. He was going through a lot of grief.”
Asked if she believed there would be justice for her son, Boucaud-Jordan said, “I don’t know, but I’ll leave it to God. God will deal with them. I hope mothers are speaking to their children. There are a lot of young people involved in crime.”
She believes the removal of religious teachings from schools has contributed to the moral decay in society and urges the Ministry of Education to reconsider implementing a dedicated “faith period” in the school system.
“They stopped teaching children how to pray in school and what have they replaced it with?” she asked. “There are so many young people living with God and these young mothers and fathers are not raising them according to his (God’s) principles. As a result, their children are rebelling.”
She also believes older members in communities who are leading young people astray should be held accountable.
To those responsible for her son’s death, she had this message: “I pray they surrender their lives to Jesus and turn away from that life.”
THIEVES have made away with over 34 brass fittings and service lines in Gasparillo on Eid night, disrupting water supply to residents.
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has condemned the act which it said has severely disrupted customers’ water supply in the area.
A release from the authority said between March 31 and April 1 the items were stolen from connections in San Fabian, Rawlings Avenue, Recreation Ground, PRV Goodman Trace, Bhagwansingh Trace, and Springland’s Third and Fourth Streets.
“These criminal acts have left affected customers without a reliable water supply, forcing WASA to prioritise emergency repairs while supporting police investigations.”
Police sources placed the value of the stolen items at over $10,000.
WASA said a pipe-cutting device was discovered on Bhagwansingh Road and was handed over to the Gasparillo police and the forensic department for analysis.
“The authority is working closely with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to ensure those responsible face the full brunt of the law. These reckless acts not only inconvenience customers but also divert critical resources from servicing legitimate needs.”
It urged the public to report any suspicious activity near WASA infrastructure to the police or its customer contact centre at 800-4420/4426.
“The authority reassures customers that repairs are underway and thanks the community for their patience. WASA remains committed to safeguarding its assets and ensuring equitable service.”
THE Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) strongly condemns a fraudulent notice circulating, which falsely claims to be an official communication from the authority regarding overdue water bill payments.
“WASA strongly condemns this malicious act, which is clearly intended to deceive and exploit our valued customers,” the release reads.
In a media release sent on March 26, the authority’s communication department urged its customers to only engage with the authority through its official channels of communication.
The statement says the fraudulent message, which instructs customers to make payments via a suspicious link, is not authorised by WASA and stresses the authority does not engage in such “unprofessional or coercive behaviour.”
“We urge the public to treat this communication with extreme caution and refrain from clicking on any embedded links or providing personal information.”
WASA advises it communicates with customers through formal letters, emails from verified WASA domains and authorised SMS messages.
Legitimate payments, it says, can be made via the official website (www.wasa.gov.tt), the customer portal, designated bank institutions, Western Union, approved payment kiosks, or any of WASA’s nine customer service centres.
It says queries can be directed to WASA’s Customer Contact Centre or through established social media platforms and encourages customers to stay vigilant and always confirm the authenticity of any WASA communication.
“WASA remains committed to transparency, integrity, and proper customer engagement.”
PUBLIC Utilities Minister Colm Imbert is pleased with his new ministerial responsibilities after serving as finance minister for the past two terms.
Imbert also said a PNM victory at the polls on April 28 does not mean the population can expect an immediate increase in water rates.
He made these comments during and after a sod-turning ceremony for an upgraded Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) water treatment plant in Chatham on March 25.
Former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley resigned on March 16 and Energy Minister Stuart Young was sworn in as prime minister on March 17.
On that day, the Cabinet was reshuffled and Imbert was reassigned to public utilities.
During the ceremony, Imbert said he welcomed his new responsibilities as he was now able to go out in the field a lot more and interact with people.
He added his previous duties were mostly administrative.
After the ceremony, Imbert was asked by the media if he had any concerns regarding the agencies that fall under his ministerial portfolio.
WASA, TT Electricity Commission (T&TEC), Solid Waste Management Company Ltd and the Regulated Industries Commission and the National Maintenance Training and Security Company Ltd (MTS) fall under the public utilities ministry’s jurisdiction.
Imbert said, “I have started looking at WASA in detail because in my opinion, that is the area that needs greatest improvement.”
In his earlier address, Imbert noted the authority was undergoing strategic restructuring, starting with a new leadership structure designed to strengthen governance, accountability and results delivery.
He said he expected a lot from the new CEO Keithroy Halliday. Imbert told Halliday, “I will be on your case but not in a bad way.”
He later said,”I don’t think we have any issues with electricity supply and the others I think are manageable, but WASA I think needs a lot of work and I am ready for it.”
Imbert reminded the media he has only been public utilities minister for one week.
“I am now getting an understanding of what is happening in the country.”
He repeated his predecessor Marvin Gonzales’ statement government is not pushing for increased water rates.
“That is not happening now. Remember I have only been there a week. So I am going to have to get an understanding of what’s going on.”
Imbert said, “My understanding is WASA’s application to the RIC is not yet complete. Public consultations and so on have not been held.”
He added, “So that is a long ways away.”
Imbert said if the PNM wins the general election it does not mean increased water rates will be imminent.
“Those things take a long time. The agency has to submit a business plan. Then you have to have public consultations. Then you have to have hearings. Then the commission has to make a determination.”
He said after all of that, the government makes a decision on whether it will subsidise the rates that have been determined by the RIC.
“So for WASA that’s quite a long way in the future.”
THE Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has condemned recent acts of vandalism which targeted its infrastructure in south Trinidad.
A statement from WASA on March 22 said the organisation was alerted to the incident where people tried to compromise the infrastructure at a location, directly threatening the pipe-borne water supply to customers served by the Hermitage Booster Station.
“Such acts of vandalism are not only reckless but also endanger public safety and disrupt the lives of citizens who depend on our critical services. Thankfully, our teams were able to address the incident with minimal disruption at that facility,” the statement said.
“WASA strongly condemns such malicious acts and assures the public that the authority has taken immediate steps to further secure our facilities. Increased surveillance has been implemented at key locations and a thorough investigation is underway.”
The statement added that WASA is confident that the perpetrators will be identified and face the full brunt of the law.
WASA also called on the public to assist in safeguarding the nation’s water infrastructure, urging people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities near its facilities.
The public can contact WASA’s security services at 696-4609 to report any concerns.
“Your cooperation is vital in ensuring the continued reliability of our services,” the statement said.
WASA said it remains committed to providing safe and reliable water and sewerage services to all communities.
The authority thanked people for their support and vigilance in ensuring the protection of these essential resources.
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has condemned what it called the indiscriminate discharge in the Guanapo River, jeopardising operations at the Caroni Water Treatment Plant.
A statement from WASA on March 17 assured the public that water along the distribution network is safe.
WASA said it became aware of the irresponsible actions of a contractor engaged in quarrying activity, who has been discharging effluent directly into drains that flow into the upstream Guanapo River.
This discharge has resulted in the watercourse turning brown, posing a significant threat to water production and plant operations.
“WASA wishes to assure the public that the water supply leaving the Caroni Water Treatment Plant continues to meet the highest standards of quality and safety,” the statement said.
“The authority has implemented stringent monitoring and treatment protocols to ensure that the water distributed to our customers remains safe for consumption and use.”
The statement highlighted that this incident is not only a violation of environmental regulations but also a reckless act that challenges WASA’s ability to maintain uninterrupted water production.
WASA is working closely with relevant regulatory agencies, including the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), to investigate this matter and take all necessary actions to end this harmful activity.
The statement said it is deeply concerning that this is not an isolated incident.
WASA recalled that in 2021, a similar event occurred, which forced a disruption in production at the plant, causing undue inconvenience to thousands of customers served by the facility. WASA said it is committed to ensuring that such an event does not recur and will pursue every legal option available to hold those responsible accountable.
WASA urged the public to report any suspicious or illegal activities that may threaten water resources. WASA added it remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the nation’s water sources and ensuring the continued delivery of safe, reliable water to all.
A Joint Select Committee (JSC) meeting in Parliament on March 12 brought together key officials to discuss the efficiency and effectiveness of the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) alongside the broader management of public utilities in the country.
Independent senator Sunity Maharaj chaired the meeting.
It featured RIC chair Dawn Callender, permanent secretary of the Public Utilities Ministry Nicolette Duke, and other representatives.
It also included committee members Khadijah Ameen and Jayanti Lutchmedial.
Committee members raised pressing questions concerning the ongoing challenges faced by utility companies and the public, particularly about water supply issues across Trinidad and Tobago.
In her opening remarks, Duke spoke of the ministry’s role in leading and governing the public utility sector, focusing on ensuring the delivery of reliable and high-quality services.
“We strive to facilitate the public utility services in terms of ensuring the delivery of reliable and quality public utility services.”
Callender, in her opening remarks, highlighted the commission’s crucial responsibility to hold utility companies accountable, emphasising the commission’s philosophy of continuous improvement.
The JSC was a follow-up inquiry into the operations of RIC and the effectiveness of its regulatory role in overseeing public utilities like water and electricity providers.
Duke shared updates on various projects led by the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), including 91 completed projects.
These include pipeline installations, the construction of 15 new booster stations, upgrades to existing booster stations and the rehabilitation of water treatment plants.
However, when questioned by the committee about whether these upgrades had led to a reliable flow of water to residents’ homes, Duke acknowledged the challenge of providing definitive answers, given her lack of firsthand knowledge on the ground.
“The intent is that water is flowing to people’s pipes, but as I am not on-site, I cannot confirm that it is happening consistently,” she explained.
Ameen raised concerns regarding water supply issues in the Moruga/Tableland constituency, where residents have reported irregular water service despite having pipelines installed.
“While you have schedules on paper, you do not have the actual supply to the customers,” Ameen said.
“My concern is that people are getting so accustomed to this in Trinidad and Tobago now that they do not complain as much because it comes like just another day in Trinidad, with no water.”
Besides Duke, other ministry representatives were Arlene Colis, director of economic research, policy and planning; Curtis Augustine, monitoring and evaluating co-ordiantor; and Mauricia Pegus, customer service manager.
Ameen also enquired about WASA’s data collection efforts to understand customer needs better.
Pegus replied that an extensive data collection exercise is underway, with field visits being done to identify customer locations and better plan for supply and demand management.
She added that this project, which aims to enhance billing systems and demand forecasting, is expected to be completed by September, with current progress standing at 65 to 75 per cent.
In another line of questioning, committee member Lutchmedial probed the ministry’s role in addressing debts owed by government agencies to utility providers like T&TEC.
She recalled reports from last year indicating that various government agencies owed around $2 billion to T&TEC.
Duke responded that the ministry regularly engages with these agencies to arrange for debt repayment.
“We are also in discussions constantly with the Ministry of Finance, because the allocations to the ministry are made by the Ministry of Finance,” she said.
“So we play a facilitating role in quite regularly addressing the ministries in terms of what is the quantum they owe.”
When asked to provide an updated figure on the outstanding debt, Duke promised to submit the exact figures in writing after the meeting.
Callender also weighed in on the topic, noting that RIC had previously addressed the issue of debt during past inquiries, assuring the public that the commission had undertaken efforts to net off outstanding amounts.
Also representing the RIC were executive director Dr Michelle Salandy; deputy executive director Carol Balkaran; assistant executive director (technical operations) Derick Phillips; legal/corporate secretary Nadia John; and chief financial officer Shameel Khan.
“The authority has implemented stringent monitoring and treatment protocols to ensure that the water distributed to our customers remains safe for consumption and use.”