Public Utilities Minister: UNC using water dispute for politics

Marvin Gonzales, Public Utilities Minister, has called on the Opposition (UNC, United National Congress) to stop using the dispute of water as a means to furthering a political agenda.

10th of March 2021

Trinidad and Tobago: Marvin Gonzales, Public Utilities Minister, has called on the Opposition (UNC, United National Congress) to stop using the dispute of water as a means to furthering a political agenda.

In a press release issued on Sunday, the minister said that rather than the “now weekly rants” by the UNC, administration expected them to work with it to deal with this national crisis.

Marvin Gonzales stated that for years, many in the country had been wronged by individuals who see the water industry as a vehicle to continue self-seeking agendas for self-enrichment. Almost the entire nation is on a watering schedule, the minister said, even though all available reports confirm TT is water-rich.

To facilitate the necessary turn-around, he said, the government leveled with the population, and last week a Cabinet sub-committee members report on WASA was laid in Parliament. This report recognizes the myriad of problems in WASA and charts the way forward.

The report revealed why, despite the expenditure of over $28 billion in ten years, citizens continue to suffer for a daily water supply.

The findings of this report were fact-based or evidently right and not ad-hominem; Gonzales highlighted the fact. It exposed the very un-sudden “scandalous state of affairs” in WASA and demonstrated the administration’s determination to resolve disputes in this state utility.

Rather than say how it can help, the UNC chose to create trouble and resorted to scare tactics and conspiracy hypotheses to confuse the population of Trinidad and Tobago.

It is ironic, Marvin Gonzales added, that not too long ago, (UNC MP) Anil Ram was commencing a protest in his constituency calling for a reliable water supply.

Yet, now he chose to articulate in defense of the status quo at WASA, to the disadvantage of the people he represents in Parliament.

The minister confirmed that the administration would continue to fight to protect the citizen’s interests and do what is crucial for the collective good.

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