BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (March 23, 2016) -- The world observed Tuesday (March 22) as the UN World Water Day 2016 under the theme ‘Water and Jobs’, and the over 100 staff members at the Water Services Department of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in Needsmust received a boost that would not only help deliver better water, but also offer them better jobs.
After years of tirelessly ensuring that the island had fresh drinking water while driving on some of the most difficult hilly terrain using dilapidated vehicles, the staff could not help but show open appreciation, led by their ‘Pastor’ Mrs Oretha Hendrickson (Billing Supervisor), as five new fully air-conditioned double cabin pickup trucks for their use were handed over and commissioned. A sixth vehicle is expected at month’s end.
At a ceremony held in the backyard of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, Minister the Hon Ian Patches Liburd, and the General Manager of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis Mr Lenworth Harris were cited for their instrumentality in making available the six vehicles.
Chairing the proceedings was the Water Services Department’s Acting Manager and Water Engineer, Mr T. Denison Paul, who announced that one of the vehicles had been donated by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, while the others had been donated by the Federal Government.
“We regard this as our coming out of the shadows, that is the Water Services Department, and we would like to acknowledge Mr Lenworth Harris for his instrumentality in the Bank’s donation,” said Mr Paul.
“He was moved by noting the state of the vehicles that we at the Water Services Department had to drive when I approached him four months ago. He pledged his support then, but promised to seek the approval of his Board. This ceremony is testament to his success. I would like to thank his chairman.”
Mr Harris was accompanied by the Chairman of the Development Bank’s Board of Directors, Mr Warren Thompson. Others attending the ceremony included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Brenda Boncamper, the Assistant Secretary Mr Paul Lloyd, and Director of Maritime Affairs Mr McClean Hobson.
“I would also like to thank Minister Liburd for his strong advocacy in this regard,” added Mr Paul. “He promised us thirteen months ago when he became minister that he would be a strong advocate for the Water Department, but requested in return that we provide justification for the request we made. In reference to the vehicles, he wanted as a precondition that we stem the misuse and abuse of our vehicles.
“It is obvious to me that he has the acumen and empathy to raise the moral and productivity in Water Services Department. This is the first gigantic step in the right direction and we applaud his effort. None of this would be possible without the backing of the Hon Prime Minister the Hon Dr Timothy Harris, who I know from personal experience of his commitment to the service of his people.”
Making brief remarks before the handing over of the keys for the Toyota double cabin pickup truck donated by the Development Bank, the General Manager Mr Lenworth Harris thanked his Chairman, Mr Warren Thompson and the Bank’s Board for consenting to his request for the donation he had made a commitment to Mr Paul.
“I want to commend both the Minister and Mr Paul in making sure that you the persons who provide us with this essential service have the comfort and the safety, and that is very important,” said Mr Harris. “Whenever I have low pressure I call Denison and it is not fair to call them if you are putting them in harm’s way. The idea (donation) is not just from a national development standpoint but from a security standpoint for all of us.”
Mr Harris hailed this year’s UN World Water Day theme, ‘Water and Jobs’, saying that if there was no water there would be no jobs as the country would shut down. He congratulated the staff at the Water Services Department for their dedicated work, and hoped that the island would experience more rains than it had last year, as Mrs Oretha Hendrickson had prayed.
“We at the Development Bank consider ourselves to be the most important financial institution in the Federation - not the biggest,” noted Mr Harris. “Our emphasis is really on development - development of human resources, social development and economic development, and this donation covers all aspects of it.
“If we are the most important bank, then we must do the important things and water is the most essential of them all. We at the Development Bank are gratified, we are very grateful to have been in a position to be able to make this donation.”
Mr Calvin Edwards, Deputy Financial Secretary - Budget, made remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, which is headed by Prime Minister the Hon Dr Timothy Harris, where he noted that the Ministry had spent close to half a million dollars to make those vehicles available.
Minister the Hon Ian Patches Liburd said that his Ministry was ensuring that there is an even distribution of water in all parts of the island, citing recent improvements is the Cider Grove and Saddlers areas.
He thanked the Ministry of Finance for agreeing to support to a tune of $600,000 a project that will move excess water from the Mansion area and pipe it to Phillips and Molineux. He also advised that two wells will be installed to the north of the airport that will provide Basseterre with some one million gallons of water.
After Mr Harris cut the ribbon on the Toyota pickup truck donated by the Development Bank, the Acting Water Engineer/Manager promptly announced that it would be allocated to the Water Quality Division. The other vehicles, he noted, would be allocated as follows: Customer Services, Groundwater Division, Rural East Division, Maintenance Basseterre Division, and Technical Division.
Mr Calvin Edwards presented the keys for the four pickup trucks donated by the government to Minister Liburd, who in turn handed them over to the PS Mrs Brenda Boncamper, and she handed them over to Mr T. Denison Paul.
In giving the vote of thanks, Acting Clerk of Works Mr Anthony Jeffers announced: “Today is the beginning of a fresh start at the Water Services Department.”
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