Stabroek News
May 24, 2001

Of the approximately $18 billion expected to be spent in revamping the local water sector over the next five years, some $192.6 million is expected to be spent on the rehabilitation of water systems in several south Georgetown wards.

The laying of new pipelines is expected to commence shortly in North Ruimveldt and Festival City and in the not too distant future thereafter work will extend to areas of South Ruimveldt. These initiatives are part of a number of scheduled projects to be undertaken by government.

Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh made these disclosures, among others, during the feature address at the launching of the Turkeyen well last Saturday.

He said that Cabinet was in the process of approving several contracts in relation to these works, while some were awaiting the selection of a contractor to commence.

All villages were expected to be equipped with new pipelines, Baksh said, but he noted that some communities would have to wait their turn before being fitted with the new lines.

Among the improvements slated for the sector, Baksh noted, was a modernisation programme which would create a single water utility before the end of the year. This would see improvements in the management structure of the water utility and to buttress this a national water council would be set up to manage the resource.

Plans are also afoot to construct iron removal plants to ensure that consumers get a better quality product.

Baksh noted that water was linked to poverty reduction, and if poverty was to be reduced then water must be available in every home. To this end, he said, government will also have a subsidy programme in Georgetown whereby the poorest citizens will pay a continuous flat rate of $600. This, he added, was to protect the poor and vulnerable.

However, he cautioned that communities must respect the facilities and not indulge in damaging pipelines as the process was a two-way one.