Samuda targets water improvements after touring Old Harbour North

His comments were made following a tour of the St Catherine South Western constituency on November 16.

Samuda, the minister with portfolio responsibility for water in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Member of Parliament Everald Warmington and a host of other senior government officials embarked on a first-hand assessment of water facilities in the upper Old Harbour region.

These included the Colbeck Treatment Plant, the Russell Graham Well; Davis Primary, where a rainwater harvesting system was installed by the Rural Water Supply Limited, and Bartons.

“What the public should be aware of today is that it is an all-of-government approach that has taken place, with the assessment being done in the areas around Old Harbour. We have with us, the NWC and its senior team led by Acting President Kevin Kerr, we have Mr. Audley Thompson from Rural Water and we are in close contact with the teams from the Water Resources Authority and at the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), to ensure that a cohesive position is arrived at”, Samuda said afterwards.

He noted that the constituency is unique, in that it includes a heavily urbanized town centre, as well as deep rural communities, but added that if the country is to achieve its Vision 2030 target of ensuring that all Jamaicans have access to potable water and sanitation, a constituency such as St. Catherine South Western has to receive major focus.

“The significant housing developments that have come into this constituency and those that are to come require us to upgrade the infrastructure significantly. We also do not want to lose the connection with the rural roots that surround the town of Old Harbour. We want to ensure that people aren’t forced necessarily to move from the communities that they are in, to get access to the amenities” he said while noting some of the upgrades to the water systems in the constituency have been on the books since 2008.

Over the next 18 months, said Samuda, the government will seek to undertake several upgrades under its estimated J$965 million comprehensive programme. Under this initiative the state aims to improve its non-revenue water reduction and control programme, well rehabilitation and upgrading, leak detection and pipe repair, the supply and installation of electro-mechanical pumping equipment, the installation of interconnecting, transmission and secondary pipelines, as well as storage tanks.

“We expect to be able to start some minor works in January. Come the new budget in April, we will definitely include some of the distribution issues that the constituency is having. We will be working to upgrade the wells that need to be upgraded, and we will be working with the NIC to ensure that we get access to new wells for the community” he explained.

Meanwhile, Warmington noted discussions were also held regarding the extension of the NWC network into the Terminal area of Old Harbour Bay.

“I mentioned also, we didn’t get a chance to go there, is Terminal Street where the water supply service ends at Burkefield Meadows but the others go all the way down to JPS and to the beach. They don’t get any service from the water commission. They get service from the Jamaica Public Service well supply which is untreated. So I’m hoping and asking that we see if we can extend the supply from Burkefield to go down there”, Warmington said.

The tour wasn’t without criticism from the opposition People’s National Party (PNP). Councillor candidate for the PNP’s Old Harbour North Division Adrian Samuda branded the tour a political ploy to win votes with local government elections set to be called soon.

The cry of residents from Bartons, Bois Content, Bellas Gate and Planters Hall for access to potable water has been loud and painstaking for decades.

That the tour by Minister Samuda and Warmington even went ahead amid poor weather conditions wasn’t lost on the PNP’s standard bearer in the division.

Writing on his personal Facebook page the Kaluga Kafe boss labelled the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government minsters “election water tricksters”.

Adrian Samuda, who bears no relationship with Matthew Samuda, will challenge the incumbent JLP candidate Keith Knight who is seeking a second successive term as councillor.

Continuing his criticism of the tour which included Knight, the Bannister-born businessman added: “Watch the stunt.

“Old Harbour North watch the election water stunt. Where were you? Do you care?

“Children needed water to bathe. Mothers needed water to cook and wash. Farmers needed water to feed chicken.”