By Faith Edwards
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says changes to the management structure of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) will bring significant financial relief to the state.
She announced that the restructuring is expected to save the government approximately $30 million in annual savings.
According to the Persad-Bissessar, these funds will be redirected into critical areas of national development.
Speaking at the Post Cabinet Media Briefing on Thursday, Persad Bisessar noted that some parts of the country have already seen improvements in water delivery, which she attributed to the “political will” of the new administration.
She said, “We have honoured our promise and ask the workers of WASA to now do their part. Let’s put all hands on the wheel and deliver water for all.”
Persad-Bissessar also credited the Public Services Association (PSA) for standing by workers during the transition, stating that collaboration between government and union was key to preserving jobs.
34 executive positions costing $70 million
Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath also addressed the media, stating that under the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, WASA’s executive management structure had ballooned to 34 positions, costing taxpayers over $70 million.
Padarath said, “For 10 years the PNM spoke about transforming the water sector, and after 10 years, the water situation in Trinidad and Tobago got worse, when we left office in 2015…”
The minister said, “Right now in WASA, there’s a heavy management structure that we met with 34 executive positions totaling over $70 million. There was a focus on big jobs for the boys and girls in the PNM inside of WASA and we will speak more about that, ballooning a figure of over $70 million where people in this country continue to suffer large swaths of the country, particularly South Central and East Trinidad in particular.”
He noted that in 2015, under the Persad-Bissessar administration, 74% of the country had access to a 24/7 water supply. However, by February 2023, WASA reported to their Joint Select Committee that this had fallen drastically to just 16%.
Since returning to office, the minister said the government has begun efforts to increase both water production and distribution. He also confirmed that the State will utilise the US$200 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan, secured by the previous administration but left unused, to begin infrastructural projects.
He said, “These funds will be directed at replacing ageing infrastructure, some of which dates back to the 60s, and currently accounts for up to 52% of potable water loss.”
Padarath also stated that the government has reviewed cabinet decisions made under the former administration and has begun implementing a “people-centred” approach at WASA. A smaller, more efficient management team is being put in place to focus on day-to-day operations and delivery goals.
He added, “There will be emergency works to bring short term relief but also long term measures in terms of how do we fix these problems permanently and then the other area would be the alternative management style because we’ll look at the change management in terms of what is further required to ensure that WASA is compliant with respect to their mandate but also making it a more sustainable company that it is not dependent on some vention from the state.”
Padarath also said “We are ensuring that there’s a more structured and a more cohesive management style coming out of WASA where you have a smaller core team that is able to achieve the mandate, which is water for all.”
