New slate

There has been a shakeup of the Board at the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and a new one is expected to be named soon.

Barbados TODAY investigations indicate that the Board was replaced by Cabinet last Thursday.

A source close to the situation told Barbados TODAY an email was circulated on December 20, 2022, indicating that the Board, formerly chaired by Stevon Roberts had been dissolved.

However, the source said by that time almost the entire Board had resigned.

Two insurance executives are tipped to lead the new Board.

David Wright, a Director of Sagicor Life, is reported to become the new chairman while Dodridge Miller, president and chief executive officer of Sagicor Financial Corporation Limited, is said to have been chosen for the position of deputy chairman.

Roberts, who succeeded Leodeane Worrell as chairman, tendered his resignation two weeks ago, according to a reliable source.

He had been installed as chairman under the former Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources Ian Gooding-Edghill.

The other members of the former Board were deputy chairman Sir Allan Field, who is reported to have resigned several months ago, Natasha Small, Steven Savoury, chief executive officer of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Pat Parris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources Mark Cummins, Chief Agricultural Officer Keeley Holder, Steven Daniel, Shakira Holder and attorney-at-law Shadia Simpson.

The shakeup at the BWA comes amid reported concerns that the same companies were continually being awarded project contracts by the BWA.

However, the source who spoke to Barbados TODAY refuted any suggestions that the Board had been unfair in its awarding of contracts.

The source said the Board had followed the law “to a T”.

“The Tenders Committee followed the public tendering policy to a T, but if the same companies are tendering for the contracts, what are you going to do? Are you going to go and find other people outside of that to give them contracts?” the source questioned.

While efforts to get a comment from Roberts and Minister Bradshaw proved unsuccessful up to press time, a source told Barbados TODAY the developments came as a surprise as it appeared that the former Board was making significant strides at the BWA.

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb