EDITOR, The Tribune.

There have been a number of reports in the newspapers about the deteriorating relationship between the Water & Sewerage Corporation and its water suppliers. Headlining in the past week has been the threat from Aqua Design Bahamas to stop production and take their equipment away due to unpaid bills that have run into millions and unsigned contracts for water supply in South Eleuthera, about 5,000 people. Moreover, the union at Water & Sewerage have said there is no one trained, amongst their ranks, who can run these plants.

My question to the management of Water & Sewerage is, who gave you permission to play “chicken” with taxpayers water supply? How could you let a relationship with such an important entity get so bad that they must threaten to pull out their equipment and leave people stranded without water? What kind of business model are you following when you can sign a contract for payment for a job, run up a huge bill and then renege? Is it because you are a government entity? Why has Aqua Design Bahamas not been paid for services rendered? Have they not fulfilled their obligations?

Sirs, you represent Bahamian taxpayers in this relationship and are being paid by them. This is not the way we want you to conduct business for such a critical service. Know that your responsibility to not just to people for water but for the wider business community, who are watching. If we mess up this relationship who will want to do business with us? I know who, the kind of folks who will see we don’t honour contracts therefore we will have to pay much more for their trouble.

Please tell us what is Water & Sewerage doing to remedy this situation?

JOANNE SMITH

Nassau,

May 2, 2021