Ganga Singh to run WASABy Darcel Choy Thursday, July 29 2010
click on pic to zoom in
I hired my ex-boss: Public Utilities Minister Emanuel George, right, announces the appointment of former Public Utilities Minister Ganga Singh, above,...
After three months in office, Chief Executive Officer of the Water and Sewerage Authority, Andrew Smith has resigned, and appointed to act in the position is former Public Utilities Minister Ganga Singh.
This was revealed by Public Utilities Minister Emmanuel George at a press conference at the ministry’s office on Elizabeth Street, Port-of-Spain.
George said Smith resigned with effect from July 31 and said his reason was because of the change in government.
“He indicated that his resignation is tendered in recognition of the election by the people of Trinidad and Tobago of a new Government, and his wish to give the new Government the space in which to operate in respect of the appointment of a CEO at the authority,” he said.
He said when a new WASA board is appointed one of their first tasks will be the appointment of a CEO. George did not say when a board would be appointed but disclosed the position of CEO would be advertised locally and internationally. Smith, a former director of Veolia Water Central Limited from 2007 to 2009 in South East England, was appointed CEO April 12, during the severe drought.
Singh was WASA line minister in 1995 under the United National Congress (UNC) administration and George served as his permanent secretary during that time. In his tenure, he introduced a plan to give water to all citizens but it never materialised. Later on, he left the UNC and joined the Congress of the People (COP). During the recently concluded Local Government Elections, he was seen on many of the People’s Partnership’s platforms.
Meanwhile, George expressed concern that despite a total average daily production of 1,000,397 cubic metres of water per day, only about 18 percent of customers receive a water supply 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“The worst served regions of the country fall within the Point Fortin, Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Princes Town, Penal/Debe and Siparia Regional Corporations which have the highest percentage of customers that receive a supply of less than 48 hours per week,” he said.
He said there were several problems affecting water and the wastewater sector including the issue of a significant section of people still being excluded from provision of reliable water service.
Government will initiate measures to ensure every community has a water a supply of at least two days per week.
“All standpipe customers are connected to the WASA network, thereby eliminating standpipe customer class within 12 months. A comprehensive plan is formulated to identify the best way of achieving major long-term improvements in the infrastructure and the level of service in the country to 24/7 supply,” he said.
He pointed out to achieve at least the two days per week supply will include the installation of mobile packaged water treatment plants, an accelerated development of new groundwater sources, additional capacity to provide security of supply through service reservoirs.
“Increasing reliability at production sources by upgrade works to water treatment plants in north and south Trinidad, replacement of critical segments of the transmission and distribution network and improved management of the water scheduling operations,” he said.
The cost to implement these various measures will be $1.3 billion.
He said the goal to supply water a minimum of two days per week is a formidable task and this was a major reason for his decision to appoint Singh as acting CEO. Singh could not be reached for comment yesterday.
