- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 13:17

Jobs safe in WASA transformation

MINISTER of Public Utilities Barry Padarath is assuring that while there will be transformation at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), this will be done without any job loss. He said so in response to Opposition MP Marvin Gonsalves’ claims that government might be unable to access Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding if the authority was not transformed. In his contribution to debate on a motion to adopt the report of the Standing Finance Committee in the House of Representatives late Tuesday night, Padarath claimed that in the past seven weeks, water production and distribution was up across TT . “The member (Gonsalves) gave us a song and dance about IDB loans. I can tell you without fear of contradiction that through the kindness of the Member for Fyzabad (Dr Lackram Bodoe) and Minister in the Ministry of Finance (Kennedy Swaratsingh) we have already engaged the IDB. It was one of our first acts.” He said when Cabinet decided it would rescind the former government’s transformation plan for WASA, it was not out of spite and malice, but on the understanding that they focused heavily on eliminating human resources. WASA workers could not get loans, buy a house or car because there was fear of them going home, Padarath said. But now there was greater productivity at WASA, he continued, as workers felt more comfortable and could sleep better at night as they could get loans etc. “They understand changes will come to the organisation, there must be an evolution of the sector, Mr Speaker. “We have never been opposed to change. Of course, changes would have to come but it cannot come at the expense of sending people home while you are bringing in a select group and paying them inflated salaries because they wear the same party colour as you. We will not tolerate that!” He responded to Gonsalves’ urgings against petty politics, saying, “For ten years, the people of Couva South, Fyzabad, Oropouche East and West and, right next to me in the constituency of Siparia, the people felt the repercussions of petty politics because of the doings of members opposite. “When they opened their taps and had no water in those areas, that was petty politics!” He added that the former government did not have the political will to equally serve constituencies across TT. Padarath said the former government’s transformation plan – which was publicly torn up by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the first post-Cabinet press conference since taking office – was meant to secure high-paying jobs for “PNM boys and girls.” When employees know they have security of tenure then companies get the greatest from them, he added. “For five years, they held the necks of employees of WASA in a proverbial noose and that is why today the employees of WASA stand on the side of the government...under the leadership of the member for Siparia,” Padarath said. He added the reason WASA employees had a serious disconnect and challenge with the transformation plan was because it did not seek to improve water production or distribution and only sought to secure jobs for PNM supporters. He also took political shots at Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles saying she could not last to speak in the debate for 45 minutes as was being prompted by Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert. He said Beckles had been found wanting in this debate. Padarath said the former government had under-budgeted and under-resourced WASA to the tune of $480 million. The post Jobs safe in WASA transformation appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.