The nation should brace itself for an increase in water rates and possibly for drought.
This is the word from Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Speaking at a "thank you" meeting at Constantine Park, Tunapuna, on Friday night, Manning stated that his Government, burdened with a huge annual subsidy to the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) amounting to $919.5 million, had no option but to "review the water rates" in order to put "an ambitious (restructuring) programme in place".
The Prime Minister gave no indication of the quantum of the proposed increase. But he provided statistics to show that Trinidad and Tobago had "a very, very low water rate". In Germany, the consumer paid US$1.91 per cubic metre of water, in Belgium $1.64, in Finland 69 cents, in France $1.23, in Ireland 63 cents, in Denmark $1.64 and in Trinidad and Tobago-46 cents, he said.
Sources said the Regulated Industries Commission had recommended an increase in water rates about one year ago. But, the sources said, because there had just been an increase in electricity rates only shortly before, the timing was considered inopportune by Government, especially with elections on the horizon. The Government is therefore only now implementing the decision.
The Prime Minister explained that WASA's restructuring programme was estimated to cost some US$2 billion. He added that it was being driven not just by the objective of providing everyone with a water supply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but was deemed essential because climate changes suggested that Trinidad and Tobago barely missed being hit by a drought in 2008 and could suffer this natural disaster in 2009 and 2010.
"In the run-up to the elections we were fearful that the drought could face us in 2008. It looks like we might have escaped that because the rains continue to fall and the reservoirs are spilling over," he noted.
But the PM stressed Government expected the difficult water situation to continue because of the persistent shift in the rainfall from the catchment areas in the East to the West and was therefore using this year of grace to prepare.
"Even if we are out of the woods in 2008, God alone knows what would happen in 2009 and 2010, he said.
In anticipation of this, he said, Government was concentrating on getting more water from ground sources and from desalination, thereby reducing the country's dependence on surface (rain) water.
He said Government was hoping to increase the production of desalinated water from 27 million gallons to 109 million gallons a day and from ground sources from 70 million gallons a day to 90 million gallons a day.
"If we are able to build the five desalination plants and improve the pipeline system, then Trinidad and Tobago would be able to withstand a drought for three years," Manning said.
To those who recommend that Government should use the windfall profits from the oil sector, to finance WASA's shortfall and its restructuring programme, Manning said: "However many of you may argue that there is a petroleum dividend, however we can argue that we can use money from the energy sector to fund it (the shortfall) and we will do some of that, it is clear that we will have to review the water rates."
UNC Deputy Political Leader Wade Mark said the Opposition was against any increase in water rates especially since Government gave no indication of this plan when it sought a mandate from the people.
"For the Prime Minister to pull from his backpocket such a proposal at a time when the ordinary man is reeling under high prices for basic commodities such as food, when the minimum wage is just $9 a hour, when poverty rates are 30 per cent- never mind the bogus figure of 17 per cent given by the Government-when there is widespread hunger, mendicancy, worsening income inequity, was insensitive, high-handed and heartless," Mark claimed.
The PM stressed that his Government would be concentrating on "customer satisfaction" in this term of office. In this regard, he said, Government would be reviewing the allocation process for housing. "It cannot be that you go to a Member of Parliament and get a house," he said. He added that Government would have to revert to the lottery system, but it would not be done on a private basis. In order to make the system more transparent, there would be a "public display of the lottery system", he said. He did say, however the practice of reserving housing for "special and emergency cases" would be maintained. But he appealed for patience saying: "If you want a house and have not gotten one, don't believe the Member of Parliament is wicked. It is a straight case of demand and supply. And we give you the assurance that the supply would improve". According to sources there are over 110,000 applications for houses to the Housing Development Corporation.
Manning also announced that he had planned to restructure the Prime Minister's office to establish a monitoring and evaluating unit so that all government departments and ministries can be effectively supervised. "If things go off the track, the Prime Minister must know," the PM said. Manning, who said that if a Prime Minister makes an error in selecting his team, he errs in his responsibility, contended that the evidence suggested that he "may have gotten it right".
He concluded by saying that this was the time for members of the Government to work the hardest and that the job was not as glamourous as many thought. "Many of the new members ask me when do I find time to sleep. I say my school principal use to say only pigs sleep for more than six hours...And indeed many ministers are telling you that they are getting by on just four hours sleep a night," he said. Manning, who had earlier presented the members of his Government, said his one regret was that Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George was unavoidably absent from the meeting. Annisette-George fainted on Friday while addressing the graduation of pupils at St Joseph's Convent, Port of Spain.
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