“Water woes plaguing Oropouche West,” says Davendranath Tancoo

Trinidad and Tobago: MP for Oropouche West, Davendranath Tancoo has written to Dr Lennox Sealey, CEO of WASA demanding that urgent action be taken to address the water crisis which has been allegedly plaguing residents.

Tancoo stated that while the problem has existed for several years, the situation has now become unbearable over recent months.

In the letter, the MP noted that large sections of the constituency have had to exist without an acceptable supply of water for lengthy periods of time.

Further, Tancoo stated that WASA has failed to provide water by a truck borne service resulting in residents already affected by unemployment and deteriorating standard of living, being forced to pay privately for water.

According to MP Tancoo, “I am aware that the government’s deliberate underfunding of Corporations held by the United National Congress has also resulted in the Corporation being unable to repair the water trucks or to purchase fuel to facilitate the desperately needed water supply. As a result, households were unable to undertake even basic cleaning and laundry with even the preparation of meals on a daily basis being impossible.”

Tancoo stated further that what makes this situation untenable is that the Government’s Covid-19 guidelines require continuous sanitation and it is critical that an adequate supply of water be provided. The fact that these communities do not have an adequate water supply puts them at increased risk for infections.

Areas affected include: Jacksingh Street Woodland, Tennant Trace, Pluck Road, Deosaran Trace, Robertson Trace, Centeno Trace, San Francique Main Road, Antilles Trace, Alta Garcia Trace, Doorbassa Trace, Jokhan Trace, Bheemul Trace, Banwarie Trace, Mora Dam Road and Syne Village.

MP Tancoo asserts that these communities are understandably agitated and feel discriminated against by the government and its agencies. He assures that this matter is urgent and requires significant and immediate intervention by WASA and awaits Dr. Sealey’s immediate response to this crisis.

The letter was copied to the Minister of Public Utilities in the hope that he may be able to initiate some action to resolve this outstanding crisis.