UPP: Barbados Water Authority insensitive

At a time when many Barbadians are out of work or on reduced incomes, and privately-owned utility companies are offering their clients relief, an opposition political party has chastised the state-owned Barbados Water Authority (BWA) for not following suit.

In a release, the United Progressive Party (UPP) took Minister of Energy and Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams to task for insisting consumers still ensure that they pay their water bills on time.

“We are quite disturbed by the media reports that the Minister of Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams, has been cautioning Barbadians to pay their BWA water bills promptly during this COVID-19 pandemic. Such a request at this time when many householders are facing the stark reality of limited financial resources today and even more uncertain times in the immediate future highlights an insensitive and uncaring Government.”

The party suggested that the Minister would be better served to pay attention to bringing relief to the many Barbadians in rural parishes who either have a limited water supply or none at all. It said: “Instead of being high-handed the Minister, in whose hands management of the BWA ultimately has rested since May 2018, needs to do what is necessary to provide potable water to residents of St. John, St. Joseph, and St. George. His excuses are wearing thin.”

The UPP said the state-owned Barbados Water Authority and the National Petroleum Corporation (NPC) are the only two public utilities yet to offer people grace periods for bill payments, unlike the privately-owned telecommunications and electricity supply companies.

The party said: “The global trend has been for political leaders to legislate moratoriums and direct financial payments to its citizens. Thus far, the Government of Barbados has failed to provide any tangible fiscal assistance but is demanding payment of water bills. Since the BWA and the NPC are the only public utilities 100 per cent operated by Government, we believe now is an opportune time for them to provide effective relief to their customers.”