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Conserve your water use, please!

Some of you may have noticed the articles in the papers today about a water shortage. Nothing to worry about say's Roy, buy more from the French side, beef up the conservation campaign and fix the leaks in the distribution network. Oh, and apparently the public and other elected representatives are not allowed to see the final contract signed with AirFin, a privately owned company that is allowed to operate with no license. Licenses, like permits, appear to be "frivolous details" to Roy.

As it happens, the island is facing a very serious water shortage, Roy 'Heckofa job' Marlin is very much responsible and the situation is as much of a disaster, if not worse, than the garbage and sewage problems he left Theo.

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Poor Roy was reported to be quite upset this past week when GEBE went directly to the Exco to discuss the water shortage, they should have gone to him first. However, word reaches me that the situation is considered so dire that it was considered best to warn the Exco directly.

It's difficult to know where to start with this story, so bear with me as I try to write it down.

OK, so first of all we have the island running short of water, so GEBE is forced to first start buying water from Aquadesign and then also from the French side. Roy failed to ensure that the Enerserve plant was upgraded for almost 2 years, it is unknown if he had any communications with them on this matter during this time. It is however very clear that the problem was knowable and foreseen and plans were not laid in advance. (See also Garbage.)

So, GEBE suffers great financial loss because it is forced to sell the water it purchases from Aquadesign and in particular the French side, at a huge loss, over $300,000 as of April this year.

Fin Air is awarded a contract, the terms and conditions of which are largely hidden and vague, but the transfer of the plant has not yet taken place because Enerserve are insisting that the money comes upfront. (Smart thinking.) Naturally, because both Enerserve and Aquadesign are cut out the water business with the new deal with AirFin, neither of them feel much need to bend over far for anyone. Aquadesign don't even have a contract and could decide to close business tomorrow if they wanted, cutting almost 10% off the daily production.

Another problem, apart from the excessive financial loss of buying water from the French side, is that even if Roy wants to buy more, it is unlikely they can provide more. It's not so much a production problem, obviously they are quite happy to sell us as much water as they can for 5 Euro's M3, it's a pressure and pumping problem too.

Roy tells GEBE that they need to beef up their conservation campaigning and fix more leaks in the distribution network. Of course, he neglects to mention that it's actually the government that is responsible for the network and investing in it, GEBE has been doing so and putting it on the govts bill. GEBE may be doing it, but ultimately it is his responsibility.

Experts recommend the island have 3 days of reserve back up, in case there is a need for rationing, say a natural or manmade disaster, like a hurricane, tsnuami or exploding fuel tanks knocking the only plant offline. Most of the past year we have had between 1 and 2 days worth, currently there is usually less than half a day's worth. Again, the lack of reserve tanks space is not because it wasn't known it would be needed, it's because Roy didn't build any.

Meanwhile, one of GEBE's biggest customers, Westin, continues to suck up everything they can, keeping their cisterns constantly full. It is unknown if we are stll selling water to cruise ships. GEBE have reportedly made several appeals to hotels to ask their guests to conserve more.

So, don't be surprised if your water starts to go off now and then, if the pressure gets low and you can't flush. Instead of being a man about it and making an appeal to the public to cut down and conserve, at least so reserves can be filled, Roy seems to be doing all he can to spin any discussion away from why we are in this situation in the first place.

There are two reasons they don't really want you to know too much, firstly they don't want to cause any panic, a rather lame excuse and one that shows they have no trust in the public. The second reason is because you may see how bad it is and might start asking who is responsible.

Roy's answer at the end of this article says it all, this is a man who would rather not share or discuss anything with other elected representatives or the public if he didn't have to. Damn those island Regulations!

Hady

Previous Blog posts

SXM PE Blog Post - No Hanky Panky? - 28th May 2007

SXM PE Blog Post - Buy Royfresh, for all bad odours - 20th May 2007

SXM PE Blog Post - The Water Works Deal - Contract - 14th May 2007

SXM PE Blog Post - Pinocchio Roy and The Water Works Deal - 9th May 2007

Latest news

Taps trickle for 16 hours - 27th July 2007

Pantophlet - Govt set wrong precedent with AirFin agreement - 19th July 2007

Marlin - I can get Air Fin's license in two days - 19th July 2007

Roy tells GEBE to teach water conservation more - 19th July 2007

GEBE increases purchase of water from French side - 19th July 2007