Tag Archives: Barbados Water Authority

GOLDEN ANCHORAGE LTD/SUNSET CREST AND BWA Matter

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The following communication was widely distributed to BWA, Members of Parliament, Bankers, Law Firms and others – Blogmaster

Dear General Manager Keithroy Halliday,


Today Thursday July 8, 2021 a group (around 4 persons) of BWA staff led by supervisor Rueben Sealy came to my office at Lot 243, Flamboyant avenue, Sunset Crest  around 1.15pm with the intention of disconnecting my sole water supply. When I confronted your uninformed staff. with my original DEED of ownership, asking that they not engage in any activity or damage any of my property or trees I was totally ignored. Furthermore, Tina Landro-Parravicino (a UFO and squatter on my estate) held discussions with your BWA staff and even gave instructions about several water fittings on my estate, even though she has no title to my property (Sunset Crest/LimeGrove/Beach Club/Sunset Crest Propriety club).

As a last resort, I made a call to the Holetown Police station whereby several officers attended to the scene a few minutes later. It was only after the Intervention of the officers present that the BWA staff ceased their activities, but not after causing damage to my property.

It should be noted that this action by your BWA staff is not only illegal, but immoral as:

All BWA meters, pipes and or fittings run along ALL THOSE LANDS solely owned by myself, Joseph K Jordan lll (Golden Anchorage Limited). Rents for the use of my lands have not been paid and are due from/by Barbados Water Authority (BWA). On this estate, there is an existing covenant, which cannot be infringed by any ACT (including the BWA ACT).

No bill/invoice for payment has been produced to myself  Joseph K Jordan lll for use of residential water. As such, how can BWA disconnect with no proof of a liability?

Being private property (inclusive of the roadways, sidewalks, easements and pathways) comprising condominiums, villas and hotels, BWA has no legal right nor authority to trespass on my private estate without my permission and a valid warrant. This includes removing any items, trees or fittings from any of these 104 acres approximately of land.

Barbados (like every country in the world) is still battling a pandemic where personal hygiene and sanitation is preached  daily as a requirement to avoid an explosion of COVID infection among both locals and tourists (The lifeblood of our economy and Sunset Crest). How can you in good conscience disconnect a person’s water supply during these times?

In conclusion, I hereby notify you, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and the Government of Barbados that no BWA staff nor contractors shall trespass on my estate as of today, July 8th, 2021 without my prior written consent. Furthermore, as a gesture of goodwill, I am willing to meet with yourself to discuss an amicable resolution to this situation providing the original deeds/conveyances and release deeds that are not only registered at the Lands Registry but also at the High Court Registry.

I thank you in advance for your cooperation and expect your reply within 5 days of this communication.

Joseph K Jordan lll

OWNER/PROPRIETOR

FIX IT!

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Barbados Underground has featured many times the address delivered by the late Prime Minister David Thompson to the Barbados Water Authority staff in 2009 soon after winning the government. What a wonderful speech that promised so much and so far has yielded so little.

It is ironic we have a similar discussion in the country about the lack of progress made about implementing sustainable measures to grow food security. What does it say about the leadership we have produced that in 2020 we struggle with distributing potable water to citizens in some areas of a 166 sq ml island AND import most of our food from outside the region?

Ironically our leadership has had no problem building shiny new buildings, case in point the Barbados Water Authority occupies a 50 million dollar building at a time 100 year old mains deliver brown water or no water to residents in St. John and St. Joseph to name two of the parishes hardest hit. The Auditor General was sufficiently impressed that mains laying and construction of the headquarters gained dishonourable mention in auditor general reports.

For decades, the residents of St. Joseph, have endured a scarcity of water. We are told, there is no money to relieve them of this predicament. Yet, in today’s Nation, the head of the major tourism association, while welcoming the $200 million given to his association as part of the so-called-stimulus, is stating that it may not be enough and the industry is not going to recover anytime soon. This fully contradicts what the Minister of Tourism stated less than a week ago. He said eight months.

Now pray tell how can we not find the money to remove the indignity of the residents of St Joseph unable to even wash their hands during this crisis but “just so” we can find $200 million to give tourism.

How on this earth or the next, can we boast of a two billion dollar this and that but citizens in ; St. Lucy, St. Joseph , St. Andrew and St. John, are denied the basic right to have clean drinking water. And when they do get water it is brown because of underlying problems with the old rusting mains. The strange thing is that they have to pay their water bills while praying for a water tanker to come by. Strange indeed

– William Skinner

The recent public statement from the Minister of Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams lamenting the lack of funds to address water availability issues in certain areas of the island is troubling. To also listen to a minister in Cabinet with the senior rank of Attorney General publicly criticizing a Cabinet colleague and government by diplomatically directing his criticism at the Barbados Water Authority adds to the issue.

The bottomline: we need to fix the problem and it is not fixed by saying a water tanker will be dispatched twice daily to areas affected.

The blogmaster is aware this is a difficult time for the government challenged by the raging pandemic. However, there are basic deliverables any caring government cannot compromise on delivering.

Fix it!

Water Running

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Submitted by a conscientious and civic minded BU family member

I am one of those who has been called upon to pay the price of a utility company gone mad and the subsequent fallout.

We have been without water for the past three days, so this afternoon I drove over to Dover Beach in order to replenish dwindling supplies of this precious commodity from the public shower located there.

When I arrived, one of the three showers was already running at full blast although no one was in the immediate area. I proceeded to fill my containers and upon completion, I did as any conscientious person would do, I attempted to turn off the tap.

The accompanying video tells the story.

Now I don’t know if any person or organization within the immediate area has notified BWA, but there are numerous food providers and bars all within a stones throw, as can be seen in the video. There is even a manned life guard station. I don’t know how long this situation has been in existence, but when I hear that we are a water scarce country, when I and my family go without water for three days and then I see this, it gets me very angry.

I hasten to add that government has provided the public and visitors alike with free facilities for all to enjoy the beautiful beaches with which we are blessed. What manner of uncouth human being would be so crass as to abuse the free taxpayer funded showers by stealing all three shower heads and damaging the faucets in such a manner.

Will the newly acquired buses fare any better?

Would anyone care to estimate how much water is being wasted per hour just at this location?

Barbados Gone Dark

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The following is a statement issued by the MD of Barbados Light & Power a few minutes ago. Prime Minister Mia Mottley has demanded a meeting with the Chairman of EMERA this evening.

Several stories have been floating about social media in the last 24 hours, BU will stay with the official positions issued by the BL&P for the moment.

Roger Blackman, Managing Director of BLPC

The Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BLPC) wishes to update Barbadians on the electricity outages that have occurred this week. We recognise that this affects our nation’s productivity and ability to serve your own customers and clients. For this, we sincerely apologise and wish to assure you that we are taking this very seriously. Our teams are assiduously working to bring full restoration back to our island.
BLPC uses Heavy Fuel Oil to produce electricity to meet the needs of our customers. At present, we are experiencing a Heavy Fuel Oil quality issue, which has been plaguing us for an extended period. The presence of contaminants detected in the Heavy Fuel Oil is the main cause of the challenges we are experiencing.
The outage events which occurred this week are extraordinary events originating with a switch failure in one of our Spring Garden substations, and during that restoration process, a second event occurred on Tuesday morning with a fault on one of our generating units. In both cases system protection response is being investigated.
Over the past few months, to compound the restoration and supply issues, we have been investigating oil quality issues which are prematurely damaging equipment used to feed oil to our generating units. At present, generating units that we would normally rely on to supply electricity demand have periodically been shutting down due to the fuel issues and this has slowed the pace of restoration.
We are working with our fuel supplier and other stakeholders to hone in upon the specific cause and source of potential contamination from their suppliers, which is ongoing. We have been staying ahead of these issues while we completed other maintenance and repairs to the remainder of our generating fleet, however, this week highlighted the challenge we have been working through to prevent such an event from occurring.
We wish to thank you for your patience, support and encouraging words as we work through this period. We are meeting with the Prime Minister, other Government officials and the Barbados Water Authority this evening to give a comprehensive update and to provide an update on our status and plans going forward to resolve our challenges. We will of course keep you updated of any significant changes as things evolve.
The Chairman of our Board Rick Janega from Emera is on island and will be a part of the meeting with government.

Crisis in the Making: Water Woes Continue

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I do share your concerns about the quality of general management and strategic planning in both the Public and Private sectors. It calls for more thinking and insightful use of information. Too many employees find this hard to do. Independence implies taking responsibility. No one wants to do that, because of fear of failure. Why is that so?

– Vincent Codrington

It continues to be a puzzlement for the blogmaster why the former government constructed a headquarters for a reported 50 million dollars give a take a few million. A commonsense perspective would have been to appreciate that with 100 year old mains a part of the distribution network, better use of scarce resources would have been to aggressively implement the pipe replacement project. Instead the country had to endure the embarrassment of Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and Barbados Workers Union (BWU) locked in negotiations about this that and the other for months.

Those of us who have been around town long enough are aware that capital works projects create the opportunity for friends to share in the fatted calf. Many blogs have been posted about the mismanagement and lack of strategic thinking at the BWA AND other state owned entities. However, when all is said and done fingers point back to the governments of the day.

The issuance of a prohibition notice by the BWA caught our eye this week. It is no secret Barbados is categorized as a water scarce country. It is also no secret Barbados has been experiencing drought conditions in recent months. It was therefore a shocker to listen to members of the general public and others in civil society questioning why the BWA had not issue a prohibition order earlier to encourage efficient water usage. It appears to the uninformed that public cries to prohibit the use of water for non critical activities galvanized the BWA into action.

If water is a precious water resource should decision-making by key stakeholders not reflect it?

The public is being told one of the measures being pursued to ensure adequate supply of water is to boost production at Ionics desalination plant. The blogmaster recalls the Auditor General in a special audit of the BWA noted that in the Ionics agreement with the government of Barbados had committed to pay Ionics a guaranteed amount whether the BWA had the capacity to receive the amount or not? It was also noted that BWA did not have the capacity to receive water paid for  at the time.

Here are relevant blogs to serve as a refresher:

Another bit of information which caught the ear of the blogmaster from the mouth of the prime minister last week is that she wants the BWA to penetrate the lucrative bottle water market in order to sustain its revenue base. We will park this for now.

Every year do we have to listen to rehashed excuses from the authorities? The rain is not falling to replenish the reservoirs,  Old pipes are springing links and posing a challenge to be repaired, pipes in certain areas need flushing because of old pipes etc etc etc. We need to construct desalination plants.

Water warriors please fall in for another tour of duty!

 

 

Chairman of BWA Leodean Worrell Exposed by Innotech

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The following document was received from a trusty source and needs no explanation except to say – even in disagreement human being should exercise a basic human quality of mutual respect to ensure the outcomes.

The blogmastser invites Chairlady Leodean Worrell to respond to the document attached and promises that her response will be given equal prominence on the blog.

Innotech

Was Michael Carrington VAT Registered When he Invoiced the BIDC 706 thousand dollars?

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gollop

Hal Gollop invoiced the BWA 1.5 million

The startling revelation that Hal Gollop submitted an invoice in 2017 to the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) for 1.5 million dollars continues to raise eyebrows. See BU’s blog post – Hal Gollop’s 1.5 Million Dollar Invoice which went viral. It was also revealed that former Speaker Michael Carrington submitted an invoice to the BIDC for $706, 450 for providing legal services relative to “the $32M sale of a BIDC at Lot A1 Newton Business Park, Christ Church to Gildan Activewear Properties (BVI) Inc. in 2010. This is the same Carrington who had to be ordered by the High Court of Barbados to pay a septuagenarian client his money. See BU’s blog post Tales from the Courts–Justice Jacqueline Cornelius Makes Speaker of the House Michael Carrington PAY XXIV.

In response to a query from the blogmaster whether the incumbent Barbados Labour Party (BLP) government can challenge the invoice, BU family member Artax shared the following:

David BU

I read in today’s Mid-week Nation [15 August 2018] that, while speaking in parliament yesterday, Ronald Toppin queried the fee of $706,450 former Speaker of Parliament Michael Carrington charged BIDC……..

………for providing legal services relative to “the $32M sale of a BIDC at Lot A1 Newton Business Park, Christ Church to Gildan Activewear Properties (BVI) Inc. in 2010.

Toppin said based on his calculation of the scale of fees, the legal fee paid for the BIDC property sale should have been $322,500.

David BU, it becomes more interesting.

According to Toppin, subsequent to the conclusion of the land sale in 2010, Carrington wrote a letter to the BIDC in 2011 in which he indicated that…… at the time the transaction completed…. he was NOT registered for VAT……..

……….and requested the BIDC pay the VAT Division on his behalf……..the VAT of $92,146 his legal fees incurred.

As a QC (and LEC qualified lawyer….. hahahahahaha), Carrington’s earnings would obviously have been above the VAT threshold of $80,000…….hence, in keeping with the VAT laws…..he should be VAT registered.

The dishonest Carrington…. not being VAT registered…… expected the taxpayers to pay on his behalf…….VAT of $92,146 he incurred on his legal fees.

Perhaps the BLP may do something about Gollop’s invoice……..

……… especially if one takes into consideration that one of the services rendered as listed on the said invoice was for preparing a conveyance for the project site to Innotech…….under circumstances where a conveyance was NOT necessary……..

…………because the project site was owned by the NHC…

The reason why Carrington wanted the BIDC to pay the $92,146 on his behalf was because BIDC was obligated to issue him a “goods and services” slip as required by the BRA (Inland Revenue at the time).

And an amount of $709,450 BIDC paid to a service provider, would obviously incurred VAT……and “open a can of worms” for the goodly gentleman.

A check of Carrington’s tax records would have revealed he was not registered and since the fee was above the $80,000 per annum VAT threshold, non payment of the VAT portion would have incurred interest and penalties…….

……..and perhaps an audit of his earnings from 1997 to 2010 to determine if he filed VAT returns and the amount of VAT he did not pay to the VAT Division as required by law.

Wilfred Abrahams’ Press Conference: Disposal Wells NOT Injection Wells, National Crisis in the Making

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[Barbados Underground] The information shared in yesterday’s press conference by Minister of Energy and Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams that the South Coast Sewage Plant AND the Bridgetown Sewage Plant are in a state of sorry repair- although improved functionality pre 24 May 2018 have been reached- should continue to be of concern to ALL Barbadians.

The revelation that there was no transparency around the procurement process to sink the ‘injection wells’ at Graeme Hall, confusion about the depth of the wells tax dollars paid a contractor to sink…and so on.

Listen to the unbelievable revelations by minister Abrahams.

No Backup Generators at the BWA in 2017!

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Energy2010

Energy usage by group (2010)

This week a radio commentator made the observation that if there is credit this government has earned it has to be implementing policy to encourage the installation of  photovoltaic systems by the retail and commercial customer. BU agrees with a caveat.

Based on observation the biggest consumers of electricity in Barbados must be the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) and the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) and other government departments. The acid test if the blogmaster is to give full credit to the government- the level of conversion from fossil to alternative energy by the greatest users must the key measure. The current conversion level suggest our biggest users are not fully converted, as a consequence there will be no material impact on fossil energy usage in Barbados any time in the near future.

If simple net metering was permitted, even for systems under five kilowatts, utility interactive RE systems with limited battery storage would be quite affordable. Back-feeding the grid during daytime and purchasing in the evenings would allow fewer batteries to be maintained for energy security while also reducing cycling and extending battery life.

We have three types of RE at our home. Grid tied, utility interactive (battery based) and off-grid. The off grid does not even have a battery as its a pond pump which operates only when the sun is shining on the PV. Critical appliances like our refrigerator, auxiliary water pump, lights, fans and entertainment centre were not affected by yesterdays power outage. And without the noise, fumes, maintenance and fuel requirements of a standby generator.

Check out Attic Developments Ltd Facebook page for schematic illustrations and pricing of various options.

Posted as a comment by Andrew Simpson to the No Power… No Vision

The preamble to the blog is a response to the BWA’s statement how the island wide power outage impacted their operations. To quote Joy-Ann Haigh, the Rapid Response and Communications Manager at the BWA:-

It impacted us a lot, because the pumping stations do rely heavily on the Barbados Light & Power. The tankers this morning, as a result, they have been dispatched. Of course, we needed to make sure that the emergency services were OK and then the schools, today being the first day of school for most and then everyone else afterward. Almost immediately after the power failed many, many areas lost mains water.

To BU’s way of 101 thinking,  if one of the the biggest expense items on the P&L is the BL&P energy bill, a decision should have been taken ‘everysince’ to aggressively migrate to alternative energy systems to run the operations. For the BWA spokesperson to have to publicly admit that the power outage on Monday adversely impacted operations and forced them to freight water by truck Flintstones style was as embarrassing as shit running on the South Coast in the year of our Lord 2017.

Why build a 60 million dollar building and there are no backup generators? Bear in mind the question is being asked of our water utility. Many retail consumers see the need to integrate backup power systems in homes these days which makes it a nobrainer for our water authority.

On a related note, it is also unacceptable the downtime Barbados had to experience given our reported level of investment in power generation and distribution.

Food, WATER, Shelter!

 

 

Will Anyone be Held ACCOUNTABLE for Sewage Scandal?

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Submitted by DAVID  COMISSIONG, PRESIDENT, Clement Payne Movement

David Comissiong, President, Clement Payne Movement

Who is going to hold the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) accountable for the south coast sewage crisis – an environmental and public health scandal that is threatening to destroy Barbados’ all important Tourism industry and to unleash diseases on persons who reside or work in the affected areas. And perhaps even more to the point, who is going to hold the Minister responsible for the BWA – Dr. David Estwick – and the Cabinet that he is a member of, accountable?

We Barbadians need to remind ourselves that this sewage scandal has been ongoing for well in excess of two years now! Please recall that as long ago as Thursday 22nd of October 2015 Opposition Leader Mia Mottley – speaking at the Barbados Labour Party’s Christ Church West Central candidate nomination meeting – issued a public warning that “something has gone terribly wrong with the south coast sewerage system’’, and that people who live around Graeme Hall, Christ Church were already complaining bitterly about the breakdown of the sewage system. Ms Mottley also made a pointed call to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to bestir himself and carry out an urgent investigation into the matter.

Well, the 22nd of October 2015 is exactly twenty-six and a half months ago!

As we are all aware, the duty to establish, operate and maintain public sewerage systems in Barbados resides with the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), and it is a statutory duty.

The BWA is a statutory corporation that was established by the Barbados Water Authority Act, Chapter 274 A of the Laws of Barbados, and section 5 of the Act stipulates that its functions are:-

  • to prepare and submit to the Minister proposals for the establishment of efficient sewerage systems capable of meeting the need for sewerage services throughout Barbados;
  • to design, construct, provide, operate and maintain sewerage works for the purpose of receiving, treating and disposing of sewage;
  • to keep under constant review the quality, reliability, and availability of sewerage services;
  • to conduct research programmes for its purposes; and
  • to disseminate information and advice with respect to the management and treatment of sewage.

All of the evidence that is available to us points to the BWA having failed to carry out the duties and functions imposed upon it by the Barbados Water Authority Act and/or having been guilty of gross negligence in the carrying out of those duties and functions. This – it seems to me – may well be a matter that should be taken before the Law Courts of Barbados under the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act Chapter 109 B of the Laws of Barbados.

Section 6 of the Administrative Justice Act provides that “the Court may on an application for judicial review grant relief in accordance with this Act

a) to a person whose interests are adversely affected by an administrative act or omission;

b) to any other person if the Court is satisfies that that person’s application is justifiable in the public interest in the circumstances of the case.”

And the “relief” that the Court may grant includes an order of Mandamus requiring the statutory board to carry out its public duty, as well as an order for damages in money.

We Barbadians must resolve to bestir ourselves and make the effort to hold our public authorities – inclusive of Government Ministers and statutory corporations – accountable. If we fail to take steps to do so, we will only be encouraging them to engage in even more irresponsible and detrimental behaviour.

David Estwick and the BWA Board Must Resign Over the South Coast Sewage Mess

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BWA-chairman-Dr-Atlee-Brathwaite

Atlee Brathwaite, Chairman of the BWA

Early in 2017 the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) introduced changes to the management team.  Acting General Manager John Mwansa was replaced by Keithroy Halliday, Charles Leslie assumed the role of Director of Engineering, Wayne Richards was appointed to the post of Project Director, Patricia Inniss took over the Wastewater Division and Joy-Ann Haigh retained her corporate and communications role with additional responsibility for the rapid response unit. BU cannot confirm if the appointment of a Director of Finance was filled as announced.

Why have we highlighted the changes in the management team?

One year after the management shakeup the challenges the country has subsequently experienced with the South Coast Sewage plant leak exposes a level of incompetence on many fronts. In particular the decision by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to NOT replace two pumps required to ensure extraneous matter is screened and prevented from infiltrating the sewage lines is very serious and those responsible must be held accountable. The result of the mismanagement is that blockage has occurred in the sewage system. Ironically the Board had no problem paying an invoice to Hal Gollop QC for 1.5 millions dollars in legal fees – see link to the invoice.

It is not a case of being unfair to BWA employees, however, given the threat to the health of residents and visitors, millions of tax dollars already spent to remedy the problem and to remain true to an effective performance management system heads must roll as a result of the South Coast mess. We should add that the lack of routine maintenance of the plant appears to be the cause of the equipment failure.

To date most of the commentary has been wrapped in the political.  The reality is that we have very qualified professionals employed at the BWA who are charged with making decisions in the interest of the country. The public must be told if the Board was advised to replace the two pumps and if it ignored the decision. Was it a case of the Board not being informed about the failed pumps because of a flawed internal reporting process? In any event the buck stops with the Board of the BWA which reports to Minister David Estwick. To date the Atlee Brathwiate Board and David Estwick have not been asked to resign neither are we aware their resignations have been tendered.

Clearly any decision to dismiss personnel at the BWA at this time will have political implication with a general election around the corner. In a private sector organization the personnel responsible for a foul up of such magnitude would have been dismissed for incompetence a long time ago. In a meritocracy this must be the routine. Regrettably our system is one where political expediency takes pride of pace.

A lot has been written and said about the South Coast sewage leak. BU adds to the commentary by calling for the resignation of David Estwick and the Atlee Brathwaite board of directors with immediate effect.

 

 

 

 

 

Why Was Keithroy Halliday Recruited to be General Manager of the BWA?

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Keithroy Halliday, GM of the BWA

Kammie Holder

23 March at 14:44 · Four Roads, Barbados ·

 

Dear Jeremy Stephen I note with interest the suggestion pronounced by you on Water in Barbados. However, if the 37% non revenue leakage of water is fixed and the 8WA Solar Farm is built there will be no need for a water rate increase. Corey A Lane Eric Ron Smith Maria Bradshaw David King James Paul Dale Marshall Patrick Tannis Its seems that more and more recently mainstream media seems unable or unwilling to move beyond note taking. The BWA needs to undergo a Forensic Audit on the heels of the recent rate increase. Quote me on that. Is GOB running scared of the Barbados Light & Power rumoured threat of a rate increase if they cut BWA high dependency on Light & Power?

Read the full exchange of this Facebook post

Many Facebook friends who value our opinion will tag David of BU on a daily basis. The above is one of many FB tags this one sent by Future Centre Advocate Kammie Holder. The exchanges are sometimes very informative and helps David of the BU household to be better informed as BU blogmaster..

This exchange provoked BU to ask the question, who is Keithroy Halliday, the recently installed general manager of the Barbados Water Authority. The reason why BU is curious is that we assumed the BWA would have recruited someone with a weighty track record in the business of water resource management. At minimum someone who has experience managing a large organization. To date the BU household has been unable to discover any information to support why Keithroy Halliday was recruited to the important job of General Manager of the BWA.

Minister David Estwick we need to hear you on this one.

What is the Quality of OUR Water?

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filters

Filters on the right

Barbadians received the good news this week that the volume of rainfall the island experienced in September, October and November 2016 will solve the low level in the water table in the near term. The bad news is that sewerage pipes have been leaking in the tourist belt.

Although principals at PAHO and the BWA have had to publicly refute social media reports questioning the quality of the local water, there are doubts. The management of the BWA have been assuring Barbadians the rust coloured water is as a result of sediment build up in the pipes and a 30 minute flush of the main SHOULD solve the problem.

The following note was received from a BU family member.

Have you checked the quality of your potable water recently? I just replaced my inline water filters again and as you will see in the attached photo, it is not a pretty sight.

Manufacturers recommendation for replacement of these filters is three months or 15,000 gallons. The displayed filters are reflective of only two months use.

Now get this – one filter should be enough to clean up the water supplied to a residence. I have had THREE filters installed in order to inadequately cope with water impurity. The filter on the left in the photo is a 10 micron filter for fine sediment. This was installed as a first defense. The filter on the right is 5 micron to reduce EXTRA fine sediment. These are installed before the tank. There is a third filter of 5 microns to further reduce sediment, taste and odour. This filter is not shown as it is black and offers no visible indication of its condition.

So, my question is “What is the quality of your water?”

Would the Ministry of health allow coconut vendors to sell coconut water of this quality to the public or would it be considered a health risk?

The Jeff Cumberbatch Column – The Politics of Water Security

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Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are crucial for poverty reduction, crucial for sustainable development and crucial for achieving any and every one of the Millennium Development Goals. – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Jeff Cumberbatch - Chairman of the FTC and Deputy Dean, Law Faculty, UWI, Cave Hill

Jeff Cumberbatch – Chairman of the FTC and Deputy Dean, Law Faculty, UWI, Cave Hill

It should be easy for most Barbadians to sympathize, or perhaps even empathize, with the plight of the residents of those local districts who have had to endure a regrettable lack of piped water to their homes in recent months. It certainly is no laughing matter when one is forced to endure the discomfort and displeasure of not being able to flush a toilet by a mere press of the plunger or unable to take a shower at the end of a long hot day. The “bathe-up” or standpipe baths and gatherings of bygone Barbados ought not to be an imperative for the contemporary taxpayer. To add insult to injury, it has been reported that bills, more than nominal in some cases, continue to be issued to these long-suffering individuals for water usage by the Barbados Water Authority.

It is equally easy, if one is so inclined, to use this unfortunate circumstance as an opportunity to bash the hapless administration in office and to classify its occurrence, as has been done by more than a few, as an example of poor governance, of poor leadership, an abdication of ministerial responsibility or a heady cocktail of all the above.

At one level, the state does bear ultimate responsibility if this “essential service” should not be supplied to all citizens without discrimination. According to several of the international conventions that we have ratified, ensuring the national supply of safe, potable water is an express state obligation. For example, under Article 24 (2)(c) of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), States parties are required to pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures: … (c) To combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through, inter alia, the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking water [Emphasis added].

And Article 14 (2) of the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) mandates states parties to “take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas to ensure…to women the right: … [h] To enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communications.” [Emphasis added]

Other conventions such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also recognize the right to water as an international human right, obligating the state to ensure to its citizens the supply of sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses.

At another level, however, the state may lawfully claim exemption from this obligation where the failure in supply is owed to circumstances such as an Act of God or nature (drought or endemic water scarcity); act or default of another for whom the state assumes no responsibility; or where the failure is otherwise exempted by law so that the claim to an absolute entitlement in any circumstance whatsoever does not arise.

So far as the first is concerned, it may very well be that this condition currently subsists, although the people from the affected districts would not be acting unreasonably to query why the onus of this drought should fall on them unequally.

Nor can the state fairly place the blame on the Barbados Water Authority that, although not constitutionally part of the Crown, bears practically a sufficiently subordinate role thereto as to be considered integrated into the state machinery.

It bears mention in this regard nevertheless, that much of the blame for the recent happenings has been placed on the inherently defective and ancient mains that are currently undergoing replacement. To the extent that this is an ongoing process stretching across the change of governing administrations, it would be clearly inequitable to place all the blame for the delayed achievement of this initiative on the current administration. The partisan ascription of blame, though perhaps electorally beneficial in future, does little to relieve the current insecurity of the affected citizens.

I accept that the figurative horse is well and truly out of the stable, and that from now until the elections bell is rung by the Prime Minister, most civic failings will be seen in a partisan light against the party that comprises the current administration. This is par for the course and, I suppose, those concerned who are far more knowledgeable than I am in these matters will seek to apply and to resist this onslaught as forcefully as may be practicable.

“It is clear that the solutions to the delivery of water and sanitation for all are fundamentally political in nature and not just technical. The need for opening the “Water Tap” for transparency, accountability and participation is vital as we face the rapid increase of urbanization and the frightening implications of climate change for our scarce water resources”-George, Nhlapo and Waldorf- “The politics of achieving the Right to water” (2011)

Who Pays the Water Bill of the Barbados Water Authority?

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Image may contain: outdoor and nature

Barbados Water Authority valve on their Fort George Reservoir compound leaking water no stop for months!

The above was posted to a popular Facebook page Barbados Wall of Shame. In light of water outages especially in St. Thomas, St. John and St. Joseph and the refusal of Minister of Water David Estwick to resign the obvious management inefficiencies at the Barbados Water Authority bears severe scrutiny. BU was asked to share this story.

Sudden Deaths in Barbados Linked to ‘usual causes’

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Dr. Kenneth George, Acting Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Kenneth George, Acting Chief Medical Officer

Barbados Underground (BU) condemns the malicious act by agents using social media platforms to propagate the message that the new water meter installed by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) is responsible for the sudden deaths that have caused Barbadians alarm in recent weeks. Barbadians everywhere must have breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday when the BWA issued a press release to dispel the false claim. The BWA’s message was supported by the Acting Chief Medical Officer who indicated that “…preliminary reports indicate that recent sudden deaths in Barbados were linked to “the usual causes of sudden death in Barbados and universally…acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, brain haemorrhage, acute pulmonary embolism (clotting in the lungs) and acute arrhythmia.”

The unfortunate incident affords the BU household the opportunity to offer a few observations.

Why did the government through its state agency the BWA require 72 hours to issue a press release to attack the vicious rumour? In the absence of a decisive communication strategy by the government and the BWA the rumour trended to an unproductive national discussion. We acknowledge that the BWA’s Communications Specialist issued a statement a couple days ago. We also acknowledge she promised that the BWA would have held press conference.

Why has the BWA with its state of the art headquarters on the hill not posted the press release on its company website?   If there is another BWA website BU will retract. If the vicious rumour originated on social media why does the BWA not update its Facebook page as a good strategy to counter? Guess what, the BWA does NOT have an active Facebook page. If the late prime minister David Thompson were alive he would have instructed his people to share the press release with BU. He understood a little about managing information in the social media space.There is a lot the Stuart led government can learn from Joseph Goebbels who was a minister in Hitler’s administration.

To date we have had the BWA management condemning the vicious rumour. Chief Medical Officer George has supported the BWA’s position based on preliminary reports. Guess what, the Democratic Labour Party through its General Secretary George Pilgrim has started another rumour.  In a media release yesterday Pilgrim hinted that the water rumour is possibly politically motivated to make the government look bad. If Pilgrim has evidence to support his ‘insinuation’’ BU urge him to take the evidence to the DPP.

Read full text of the BWA’s release:-

Over the last few days, erroneous reports have been circulating in the social media, suggesting that there have been sudden deaths associated with lead from the new HYDRUS Ultrasonic water meters.

We want to assure our customers that there is no lead contamination of our water supply from the new meters or any other device attached to the water supply network. It should be noted that the procurement of these meters followed stringent guidelines, consultation and approval of the Barbados National Standards Institute (BNSI). We have found no proof of their being rejected anywhere.

In addition, the meters: –

  1. Are made out of plastic and brass connections that DO NOT contain lead.
  1. Are manufactured in Germany and have been tested and approved for use in the water supply industry for metering of cold potable water and hot water by the German Environmental Agency under the German Drinking Water Ordinance of December 2013.
  1. Meet or exceed the following specifications and testing methods as well as those in the following Standards: OIML R 49-1 Edition 2006 (E) and ISO 4064-1:2005(E)/BS EN 14154-1:2005 +A1:2007(E) Class C and Class E1 specifications including all annexes.
  1. Are also currently being used in the following twenty-two (22) countries: –

Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, China, St. Lucia, Bahamas, Jamaica, Colombia, Brazil, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Guinea and South Africa.

The Barbados Water Authority is charged with the responsibility of providing water and sewerage services as well as the monitoring, controlling, managing and protecting the water resources in the public’s interest.

We take this mandate very seriously and over the years, we have provided and continue to supply safe drinking water that exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Drinking Water Guidelines and we have adhered to other appropriate industry standards in the choice of materials and equipment used in designing, constructing and operating of the entire water supply infrastructure.

The Barbados Water Authority in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Ministry of Environment and Drainage and the Environmental Health Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health have a very comprehensive and long standing water quality monitoring program. This programme involves the bacteriological and chemical testing and analysis of water samples through the Government Analytical Services Laboratory and MDS Laboratories in Florida.

In addition, wide screen analysis of water samples is done on a bi-annual basis and includes testing for heavy metals and pesticides. The most recent samples were done in March 2016. Results from the water quality tests and analysis done over the years, show that the lead content in our water is below detection limits and meets the allowable drinking water standards. The analysis of the water samples is done through accredited laboratories. Furthermore, our water is classified as hard and tends to form a carbonate precipitate inside the pipes that would prevent lead leaching.

We again assure the public that the new HYDRUS Ultrasonic Water Meter manufactured by DIEHL Metering is free of lead and water provided by the Barbados Water Authority is safe to drink. (END)

The Great IONICS SCAM

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Bizzy Williams

Bizzy Williams

On the 17 April 2016 BU posted the Ionics Freshwater agreement with the Barbados Water Authority (BWA). Many questions were asked but as usual taxpayers have been met with silence. However with a general election looming in less than 2 years expect to hear the political rhetoric levels rise and for sleeping giants to awaken.

BU received the following Excel spreadsheets which purport to support the 10% of BWA’s annual revenue paid to one entity Ionics Freshwater limited, a company owned by Bizzy Williams’ of Williams Industries Group. The huge slice of the national budget given to Bjerkham, Maloney and Williams continue to create disquiet in our tiny nation.

Water Supply with Ionics Incorporated Agreement (Scam), LEAKED

by David on April 17, 2016 in Barbados News Edit

27,000 m3 x BDS$0.80 x 365 DAYS x 15 years = BDS$118,260,000.00 or BDS$118 MILLION DOLLARS.. Imagine being given the opportunity to spend BDS$18 MILLIONS DOLLARS to build a new water treatment plant with a no-risk contract with Barbados Water Authority where them would take all the water treated and where BWA would repay you […]

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Water Vision

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ionics

Ionics

There is no need to be prolix about the current state of the water supply and distribution system in Barbados. As a reminder of the games politicians from both the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) have played with our most precious resource, BU often refers to the late David Thompson’s speech to the staff of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) delivered in 2009.  One measurement the citizens of Barbados should be able to evaluate any government is the level of efficiency it exercises to manage the water resource. Not since the period of Nicky Sealy can we recall BWA being eligiable for a passing grade.

All of our central government and statutory agencies need to be efficiently managed. Because water is an essential commodity the BWA needs to be managed as a professional outfit. Instead, we have had to accept through the years the appointment of political lackeys to the BWA Board of Directors. It reached the ridiculous under this government with the appointment of an Executive Chairman. Although it must be said Minister David Estwick has been spending borrowed money to install mains, build spanking headquarters and a few other projects – can we say water supply and distribution has improved? Can we say that 40% of our water continues to leak from rusted mains? BU will recognize good performance by the BWA when every citizen of Barbados is guaranteed a reliable supply of potable water. No excuses, no ifs or bloody butts.

If we are to accept the latest mouthings by Minister Estwick, temporary and permanent desalination plants will be integral to the water supply solution in Barbados. Of interest to BU is the fact two desalination facilities are majority owned by local businessman Bizzy Williams, Ionics (Spring Garden, St.Michael) registered in 1999 and Potable Water Supply (Groves, St. Philip) registered in 2010. Should we be concerned about the growing concentration of ownership in our water supply? After all Bizzy has admitted that he supports financing the PIP. What we need from our government is to demonstrate greater transparency in how they manage. Where is the building of a  quality society constantly touted by this government if a few are always the ones to benefit?

Will Barbadians be given a coherent explanation why the BWA pull back from the water prohibition order a couple week ago? With no explanation one is left to speculate the managers of the BWA are clueless. What Barbadians need to hear from the executive of the BWA is a dispassionate delivery of the vision, the implementation of the project plan, ramping up customer service and the assurance the BWU is fully supportive. This requires leadership, not braying at press briefings.

Water Rationing from March 1, 2016

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water-dripThe following comment posted by BU commenter Are-we-there-yet in response to another commenter Crusoe.

Crusoe;

Yuh certain dat there is now a prohibition on FILLING tanks in excess of 400 litres (roughly 100 gallons) from the mains?

How are they going to enforce that?

Ensure that every household with a larger capacity tank install some type of system that would shut off when the water level reaches a height equivalent to a volume of 400 litres?

Are such systems available for existing larger capacity tanks or will they rely on the householders to shut off the water manually when it reaches the prescribed level?

If so how will they ensure that householders are obeying the drought restriction regulations? Use the Police? Use the SSA officers? Use Min of Health personnel? Use BWA personnel?

Do they know all of the houses that have tanks with greater capacity than 400 litres?

Will they ask householders with existing larger tanks (most people, as 450 gallon tanks seem to be the most popular ones) to replace them with 100 gallon tanks?

Will the prohibition be all over the Island? Or will those areas in St Thomas, St Andrew, etc. which only get intermittent supply of water from the mains be allowed to pump more than the 400 litres of water while the rest of the island will be subject to the prohibition?

In such areas a more relevant measure might be limiting the amount of water to be supplied by tanker to households with tanks but without water to 400 litres at any one time to ensure that such water is provided to everyone in an even handed manner.

The rationing of water is a good thing and all Barbadians should play their part and one can understand the need to limit the water being held in tanks. But what appears to be being mandated here needs a lot of refinement to be workable and enforceable in the short term but could be developed to be part of a workable long term strategy where all households would be allowed to fill potable water tanks to a limit of x litres per household member. Thus a 2 member household might have a limit of x litres and a 4 member household one of 2x litres.

I wonder if the current strategy has taken into consideration the relatively high water use by washing machines and water toilets as well as showers and if the given 400 litre figure takes these into account?

Something seems awry in what has been reported so far. Perhaps tomorrow’s paper might give some better indication of what is in store for us.

Government Issues Tender Notice for Seawater Desalination Water Project

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Tender by BWA for Construction of a Seawater Desal Plant

Tender by BWA for Construction of a Seawater Desal Plant

The water woes being suffered by Barbadians – especially in the North – for the last year merits serious discussion and action. The other issue being promoted by government – celebrating 5o years of Independence – has been competing valiantly for top spot. Using commonsense only there is agreement that there is no single issue more important than the affordable and sustainable generation and distribution of potable water at this time.

Barbadians should be grateful to witness Minister of Water David Estwick being smoked out from Hoadies by the Opposition Party to inform those who elected him the plan to correct the serious problem of water supply in this country. One bit of information shared by a bombastic David Estwick in his blustery delivery at a news conference – listen to news conference thanks to VoB –  this week is that the BWA has issued a tender to build a Seawater Desalination Water Augmentation facility. It appears he has invoked powers embedded in the law to instruct his cash strapped BWA Board to commit the government to long term liability. The people of Barbados will be eternally in your ‘debt’ Minister Estwick.

Read  Seawater Desalination Water Augmentation facility Tender Document.

Water Woes Trending

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Submitted by Anthony Davis

David Estwick, Minister of Water Resources

David Estwick, Minister of Water Resources

THE GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS is fully aware of the water woes and is focussing on solutions. So says Minister of Industry Donville Inniss, who assured Barbadians that help was on the way, but warned against ‘dangerous thoughts’ of causing social unrest over the current  water woes. SATURDAY SUN dated January 2, 2016

Pray tell me, Mr. Inniss, are we still living in Barbados, or in North Korea, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, etc.?

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Water to the Cattlewash Crew

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Cattlewash

Cattlewash

The following diagram was posted by BU family member Colonel Buggy with the following note:

Not all of St Joseph people are affected by this chronic water shortage . I have yet to see a BWA water tanker in Cattlewash, with the local gentry lugging buckets, pails and poes to collect water, or filling up from one of those plastic stand tanks. This diagram is my interpretation as to why Cattlewash has been spared the indignity of going back to the stand pipe.

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Water Rights Violated!

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Submitted by Anthony Davis

David Estwick

David Estwick – minister responsible for water

Taps in some districts in Boscobel, St. Peter, have been dry since May this year, yet some residents continue to receive Barbados Water Authority bills as high as $238 in some cases. – Barbados Today

[…]
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Late Prime Minister’s 2009 Address to the BWA

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BWA_artist_impression_thumb.pngThe following address delivered by the late Prime Minister David Thompson in 2009 merits a repost in the prevailing climate. This week Minister David Estwick assured Barbadians in the North BWA’s tactical response to water woes will be the installation of water tanks.

[…] Continue reading →

St. John Residents Crying Out for Mara, Water

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Submitted by Anthony Davis

Mara Thompson M.P.

Mara Thompson M.P.

“Residents of Foster Hall, St. John, say they have been faced with dry taps for several months now and are appealing to the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to urgently address their plight” – Barbados Today

There are several questions to be asked:

1) Is St. John not a DLP stronghold? 2) Is Mara Thompson not the sitting member for that constituency? 3) What is Mara Thompson doing about this unacceptable state of affairs? 4) Just sitting, and drawing the tax payers’ money?

What the BWA is doing is fraud, because people are paying for a service and are not getting the goods for which they are paying. Is this now the norm, where a Government can cheat the public of what it is supposed to receive?

It seems that the Minister responsible for delivery of the water cannot keep his promise, and consequently that of the BWA, to deliver water to the residents of Foster Hall in a timely manner, and in a sufficient supply. Barbadians do NOT like smelling like skunks, so I can empathise with these residents – especially those who have to get to work and whose children have to go to school, if not the same Government would want to charge them for not sending their children to school!

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Transparency Required:Innotech BWA Connection

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Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart won the head to head match up with Arthur in 2013.

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart won the head to head match up with Arthur in 2013.

In 2008 the DLP won the campaign platform message which painted a picture of runway corruption by the Arthur led BLP government. In 2013 the DLP again won the integrity message  by matching up Stuart and tainted Arthur. The late Thompson promised to enact transparency legislation if elected. He was elected. Prime Minister Freundel Stuart promised to do the same in 2013. He won the election also. Six years later it is business as usual, no transparency legislation. An interesting discussion on the Problemas de Agua blog which fits BUs transparency legislation ‘eye’ is replayed for deeper discussion. Against this background the BU household believes the time has long passed to ask some hard questions of  Prime Minister Stuart and his administration. Has there been a fundamental change how the Stuart led government is doing business compared to those of the past?

David | June 20, 2014 at 8:55 AM |
“Are you suggesting the 3S model is being used to deliver the BWA headquarters with Innotech delivering the end services?”

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Problemas de Agua

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When will the BWA integrate an alternative energy strategy to reduce its monthly electricity bill of approx 1 million dollars.

When will the BWA integrate an alternative energy strategy to reduce its monthly electricity bill of approx 1 million dollars.

In 2009 late Prime Minister David Thompson approved a hike in water rates charged by 60% with the promise the increased cash flow would improve the level of service and upgrade to equipment by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) – see Has the BWA Short-changed Barbadians After Benefiting from a 60% Rate Hike in 2009? Nearly six years later there has been no significant change. The replacement project of eighty year old mains has been delayed by industrial and other issues although there has been improvement how the BWA communicates its many challenges to the public, BUT overall, there has been no quantum lift in the efficiency of the BWA. We can discuss on another blog what policy position has been taken to significantly reduce or replace the cost of pumping water to the tune of approximately one million dollars monthly which the Barbados Light & Power is happy to pocket.

At this time of the year – to mimic the 11 plus chatter – there is a hue and cry about dry taps and the havoc it causes to schools and nurseries forced to close operations along with other inconveniences. BU and sensible Barbadians are sympathetic to BWA workers who have to work around the clock to fix broken water mains and all the other activities to get things back on track.

Recently listeners to Voice of Barbados 92.9 heard the BWA’s Communications Specialist in an emotional but sincere  explanation of the many challenges confronting the BWA. The electorate needs to be given more respect, it needs to hear Ms. Haig’s quick responses to day to day queries and concerns BUT what taxpayers need to hear also is from government through the minister responsible, to share a critical path analysis of the deliverable which were promised by the late David Thompson in his 2009 speech to the BWA.

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Barbados Water Authority Cannot Strike!

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Water is a precious resource.

Water is a precious resource.

The 780 employees currently employed by the BWA represent 8.2 employees per 1,000 services which are high by industry standards and speak to the historic tendency to use this organization as a source of employment.

The Late Prime Minister David Thompson delivered this address to BWA employees on 17 June 2009 to explain his expectations after implementing a 60% water rate hike.

Some contributors to BU are of the view the Barbados Water Authority should be an essential service. BU is also of the view that in the prevailing economic climate there should be consequences for the BWA going on strike. We are NOT operating in a business as usual period in our history. Certain services must be guaranteed!

The Better Security Act of Barbados was established to better secure “an uninterruptable supply of water and light for the use of the community, and for preventing certain avoidable dangers to human life and valuable property”.

Is this Act relevant given the current impasse between the government and the BWA? If it is not should it be?

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Has the BWA Short-changed Barbadians After Benefiting from a 60% Rate Hike in 2009?

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The Late Hon. Prime Minister David Thompson

The Late Hon. Prime Minister David Thompson

Barbados Water Authority (BWA) acting senior engineer Stephen Lindo was in the news recently reminding Barbadians, yet again, that the BWA needs to source one billion dollars to fund the replacement of old infrastructure. Another point he made which should be of interest to Barbadians is that the government “would be approaching the IDB for money to buy a number of power generators, which are critical when there is an outage at the Barbados Light & Power Company.”  It is no secret that the BWA is 100% reliant on the Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) for power supply at a time when the Barbados government has articulated that building out alternative energy supply is a national priority. In fact the BWA is reported to use 3.6 million units of electricity each month which equates to approximately 4% of the total output of BL&P.

The press conference by Lindo reminded BU of the address which the late prime minister David Thompson delivered to all employees of the BWA in 2009 over four years ago. His address was made on the eve of the decision by his government to implement a rate hike of 60%. Although the hike became a hot political issue most Barbadians were resigned to the fact the BWA needed funds to improve its plant and customer service. However by now the same Barbadians  would have expected that since Thompson’s speech many deliverables promised would have been deep in the implementation stage.

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CONCACAF’s Integrity Committee Finds Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer Guilty – David Estwick Take Note re:Barbados Water Authority

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Former President of CONCACAF Jack Warner
Former General Secretary of CONCACAF Chuck Blazer
David Estwick, Minister of Agriculture

The Nation and Advocate both carried almost identical articles about The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football’s (CONCACAF’s) investigation into allegations about Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer. While the article covered the main allegations and findings it is only when you read the full report of CONCACAF’s Integrity Committee, that you appreciate the exploitation carried out by both men during the years when they were President and General Secretary respectively.

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Spring Garden Reverse Osmosis Desalination Facility – The Great White BLP Calf

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Submitted by Andre Jones

Ionics plant was never operated at full capacity according to Auditor General report

Of all the fatted calves in Barbados, the Reverse Osmosis Desalination Facility at Spring Garden owned and operated by Ionics Freshwater Limited is surely the fattest in the herd! This BLP calf delivers BDS$1.9 Million each and every year to its owners in the form of a standby charge billed to the Barbados Water Authority without even a drop of water making its way into the water main system of Barbados. The Auditor General discovered during its recent Special Audit of the Barbados Water Authority that BDS$19Million has already been paid to Ionics as a standby charge and this has nothing to do with the actual price of water produced by the facility and charged to the Barbados Water Authority. There is no doubt Mr. Ralph ‘BIZZY’ Williams and his good friends Hallem Nicholls and Owen Arthur do handsomely well out of this transaction.

This reminds one of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner poem by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge written in 1797/98 and published in the first edition of Lyrical Ballads.

See related link: BWA’s Special Audit

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Why Did Minister David Estwick Direct Former Executive of the BWA to NOT Attend Meetings 'Conveyed' By Minister Of Finance?

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A letter signed by Minister David Estwick which was sent to former Executive Chairman of the BWA Arni Walters

In an earlier blog reference was made to a government minister who instructed an employee not to attend meetings called by another minister. BU now post a letter which corroborates what the commenter posted.

As always BU is committed to reporting all sides of any issue. If there is a valid explanation to support the instruction given by Minister Estwick as conveyed in the letter,  BU is prepared to give equal prominence.

BWA Facing Water Challenges: Special Audit of the Barbados Water Authority EXPOSED

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Submitted by John Dillinger

Ionics plant was never run at full capacity according to Auditor General report

See link to Report by the Auditor General of the Special Audit into the BWA commissioned by Minister of Finance.

What is the role of the former Prime Minister David Thompson appointing Executive Chairman, Arni Walters in all these infelicities highlighted by the Special Audit?

Where is Mr. Walters now? Why has he so quietly disappeared from the frontline of the DLP Administration?

Can charges be laid for these infelicities in the procurement process at the BWA?

Why was this special audit commissioned by Minister Sinckler to cover the post-2008 period of administration at the BWA? Who was the minister with responsibility for the BWA at that time?

More questions than answers……

In similar vein, last year Minister Sinckler announced at a hastily called Press Conference at Almond Bay one Sunday afternoon that he would commission a Special Audit of the UWI with regards to claims by the UWI of funds owing to that institution by the Government of Barbados. Was that audit ever done?

On a related note:

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Getting Ready For The Campaign Trail, SOON

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The following was posted as a comment on the CLICO – A Rape Victim But Who Are The RAPISTS? blog. BU believes the submission captures many of the issues which will be distilled on political platforms in the upcoming general elections.

Owen Arthur, Leader of the opposition (l) Fruendel Stuart, Prime Minister (r)

Current Opposition Leader Owen Arthur says that the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government has a moral obligation to fix the CLICO mess.  Arthur and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) perhaps have forgotten that the Barbados Water Author (BWA), a government owned corporation and sole provider of water services  in 2009 was near bankruptcy. David Thompson and the DLP inherited the BWA problem from Arthur and the BLP.  Arthur and the BLP were morally responsible for BWA problems totalling thirteen years.  BWA problems FIRST appeared during the ruling of Arthur and the BLP, also Al Barrack.

The Al Barrack mess FIRST appeared during the ruling of Arthur and the BLP.  The court ruled in favour of Al Barrack, a little less than thirty five million, $34,490.518 to be exact. Barrack in 2008 received 2.5 million from the David Thompson administration. Al Barrack, since 2008 has not received payment from the Barbados government in any form or fashion.  Building Contractor, Al Barrack built the government office complex in Warrens (St. Michael) but yet unpaid.  The total amount NOW owed Al Barrack is far above 34, 490, 518.  The Barbados national debt also is far above the 34,490,518 amount.

Just recently, Arthur reported to Midweek Nation that “the REDjet Airlines might still be flying if the Barbados Government had honoured its financial commitment to the collapsed airline”.  Well Mr. Arthur, if the government during your rein had honoured its financial commitment to Contractor Al Barrack, Barbados  NOW would not owe him seventy five million.

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Illegal Water Rates: Pay Back The Money

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Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Workers Union

On March 3, 2012, the Saturday Sun published an article entitled, “BWA Sacred Cow”, which claimed that the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) is no longer regulated under the Utilities Regulation Act (the Act) chapter 282 of the laws of Barbados. This in effect means that Fair Trading Commission (FTC) cannot set water rates or hear and determine any complaints about the quality of service provided by the BWA. Any such complaints against the BWA can only be made to the BWA. As the article stated,

“They [BWA] are judge, jury, everything. You have to accept what they say. So water in this case is creating difficulty because of the change that was made in 2009 when it was removed . . . it is creating a lot of problems for the consumers”.

The obvious question must now be: How did the regulation of the BWA get back to this undesirable situation? The answer is not the most honourable thing that the present Government has done.

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Will The Fair Trading Commission Protect Consumers From EMERA And LIME?

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Emera CEO Chris Huskilson

On Friday, Emera showed a profit attributable to shareholders of $241.1 million ($1.97 per share) on revenue of $2.06 billion for all of 2011. That compares to a profit of $190.7 million ($1.65 per share) on revenue of $1.6 billion in fiscal 2010.

The company credits gains earned by Caribbean subsidiary Light & Power Holdings Ltd. for helping achieve impressive profits, but there is no denying Nova Scotia Power is the big earner for Emera. According to figures, the regulated provincial power monopoly contributed more that half the profit earned by the parent in 2011.

 Herald Business

We now have the ridiculous situation enduring in harsh economic conditions where the parent company of the Barbados Light and Power (BL&P) has earned record profits of 241 million for 2010. The business theory indoctrinates that private enterprise is established for the primary reason to create value for the shareholder. Who can fault Emera for the enviable position it finds itself. However the following statement in the report that “The company credits gains earned by Caribbean subsidiary Light & Power Holdings Ltd. for helping achieve impressive profits.”  should be of of interest to Barbadians. More particular it should be of interest to the beast we refer to as the Fair Trading Commission (FTC).

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How Two Utilities Failed Barbados In The Post-TOMAS Period

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Submitted by The People’s Democratic Congress (PDC)

 

It has been long remarked by many living souls in  Barbados that, if Barbados were to have been sufficiently struck at any time by a tropical storm/hurricane, how a lot of homes, buildings and other properties would have been seen to be partially or wholly destroyed, primarily because of – as they would have observed it – the excessive numbers of instances, whereby there have been less than appropriate building designing undergone, whereby there have been many unsafe building techniques and practices carried out on those dwellings/buildings, or whereby there have been allowed to develop the wholly unsatisfactory conditions of many homes in the country; and how all these essential utility service companies that are here in Barbados, esp. the BL&P, would have performed so poorly in the aftermath of any such weather systems, primarily because of – as they saw it too, the very checkered history of the general out-in-the-field performances of these companies over the years.

As well, many a mortal in Barbados would long have been sounding off that, if this country were to continue indefinitely on the prevailing backwardist, exploitative, worn out euro-centric westernist development path that it is on right now, how the country could well  or would well be on the way to becoming a second rate so-called Third World developing country in the foreseeable future, primarily as a result of the many inept unprogressive anti-poor social political material financial policies and programs that have been pursued in the public and private sectors of the country over the years – and esp. as it relates to such policies and programs that have led to chronic dependence on the tourism sector for the country’s further development – and which for the fickle industry that it is, sees too many of the country’s people, their services, resources and finances being allocated to it.

And shall we – in the PDC-  add, this,  that as far as these anti-masses middle classes policies and programs are concerned, these themselves that have been and continue to be based on the reinforcement of the existence of  evil systems such as WORK, TAXATION, INTEREST RATES, REPAYABLE  INSTITUTIONAL  PRODUCTIVE LOANS, ETC.

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