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UPDATE: Hon Fraser says Hon Vanterpool assured 3rd District will get water!
Honourable Fraser had asked the question whether the water woes, which the people of the Third District are facing, were “natural or deliberate”. On his Facebook page last week, Honourable Fraser asked whether the difficulties were a deliberate attempt on the part of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government to damage the reputation of BiWater.
Writing on his Facebook page on January 8, 2016, Honourable Fraser said, “Today I was reliably informed by the Minister for Communications and Works that water is now being placed in the Hannah Hill Reservoir and it will be distributed to residents of Sea Cows Bay, Hannah’s, Palestina, Pleasant Valley, and all other areas serviced by the reservoir, including Cotton Hill.”
He said he and the residents of the Third District should all be looking forward to some much welcomed and needed relief.
Honourable Fraser noted that if what the Minister said is true, that should mark the end to water shortages in the area, since residents can now get water from Sabbath Hill Reservoir to Hannah Hill Reservoir, due to a reported fix to the distribution system along the Ridge Road.
“I was also further informed that the BiWater plant at Paraquita Bay is operating at full capacity of 2.3 million gallons of water a day. If this is so, there should be absolutely no shortage of water to pump into the Hannah Hill Reservoir daily,” said Honourable Fraser.
He had rubbished the reasons given for the water shortage, saying they were not acceptable, and alleged that the government was bent on sabotaging the project.
“The reasons given, being that the General Electric/Aqua Design water plant in Sea Cows Bay is operating at some reduced capacity, and that they, the Government is still after five years unable to bring water which is produced by the BiWater Plant from the Sabbath Hill Reservoir across the Ridge Road to the Hannah Hill Reservoir. None of these reasons or excuses are acceptable,” said Honourable Fraser on his Facebook page on January 4, 2016.
“Sad to say there were no acceptable solutions offered by any of the parties involved, but I can only assure you that I will continue to push for solutions,” he wrote.
The former Minister for Communications and Works said the solution to the shortages of water in Sea Cows Bay, Hannah's, Palestina, Pleasant Valley and the rest of Tortola was resolved on February 18, 2010 when he signed the Contract with BiWater to supply the Government and people of Tortola with 2.3 million gallons of water daily.
“What went wrong is when the NDP who always hated the deal and campaigned against it won the General Elections in 2011 and proceeded to sabotage the project (BiWater). They refused to upgrade the water distribution system (pipes and pumps) along the Ridge Road, which is the key to the success of this water project. Failing to upgrade the system meant that the plant could not produce the 2.3 million gallons daily, because the government could not receive it,” he said.
See previous article published on January 6, 2016:
Hon Fraser asks whether SCB water shortage a deliberate act
- said none of the reasons given for the shortages are acceptable
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI – Representative of the Third District Honourable Julian Fraser RA has lambasted the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government for what he said is its lack of empathy for the citizens and residents of Sea Cows Bay, alleging that there has been no water for four days due to issues with the plant in the community, resulting in reduced water service.
Taking to his Facebook page, Honourable Fraser said he was forced to call Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) to vent his frustration on behalf of his constituents. He pondered whether the shortages were natural or deliberate and meant to punish the people of the community.
“Tonight (January 4, 2016) I was forced through concern and a desire to show compassion for my constituents to call both the Minister responsible for water, his Permanent Secretary and the Director of Water and Sewerage regarding the absence of water in Parsons, Sea Cows Bay for over four days and severe rationing in Hannah’s,” said Honourable Fraser.
“The reasons given, being that the General Electric/Aqua Design water plant in Sea Cows Bay is operating at some reduced capacity, and that they, the Government is still after five years unable to bring water which is produced by the BiWater Plant from the Sabbath Hill Reservoir across the Ridge Road to the Hannah Hill Reservoir. None of these reasons or excuses are acceptable,” said Honourable Fraser.
“Sad to say there was no acceptable solutions offered by any of the parties involved, but I can only assure you that I will continue to push for solutions,” he wrote.
NDP Gov't has failed after 5 years...
He noted that the new Bi-Water plant in Paraquita Bay which is currently producing 2.3 million gallons of water a day, was commissioned on November 28, 2014.
The former Minister for Communications and Works said the water is pumped into two reservoirs at Sabbath Hill and from there it's supposed to be distributed throughout the island via pipes along the Ridge Road and down to Fort Hill Reservoir; Hannah Hill Reservoir; Brewers Bay and Cane Garden Bay.
“Unfortunately, this is not happening, because the government, which after being in office five years now, has failed to upgrade the pipes and pumps along the Ridge Road to transfer the water as explained.”
He noted that had the upgrade been done, there would be absolutely no need for the General Electric/Aqua Design Plant in Sea Cows Bay, which was to have been decommissioned since 2005.
“The solution to the shortages of water in Sea Cows Bay, Hannah's, Palestina, Pleasant Valley and the rest of Tortola was resolved on February 18, 2010 when I signed the Contract with BiWater to supply the Government and people of Tortola with 2.3 million gallons of water daily,” said Honourable Fraser.
“What went wrong is when the NDP who always hated the deal and campaigned against it won the General Elections in 2011 and proceeded to sabotage the project (BiWater). They refused to upgrade the water distribution system (pipes and pumps) along the Ridge Road, which is the key to the success of this water project. Failing to upgrade the system meant that the plant could not produce the 2.3 million gallons daily, because the government could not receive it,” he said.
He noted that as a result, for months they only produced 1.75 million gallons daily, “but yet Government had to pay for the full 2.3 million gallons. A total waste of taxpayers’ money, while Government engaged in propaganda aimed at discrediting me for the BiWater deal, something I have now been vindicated for, given the success of the water production at the same plant, and the recently commissioned Sewage Treatment Plant at Burt Point.”
“But do we not care enough to petition the Premier over this deliberate act by a vindictive Government?” he asked.
Attempts to reach Minister Vanterpool for a response proved futile.
Meanwhile, residents all across Tortola and on Virgin Gorda have been complaining of the inadequate supply of potable water. Some of the shortages have been blamed on damaged pipes or malfunctioning equipment, however, affected residents say the issues are taking too long to be resolved.
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31 Responses to “UPDATE: Hon Fraser says Hon Vanterpool assured 3rd District will get water!”
What VIP candidates need to talk for we vote NDP so we have to wear the sh*t
I mean all that is here making comments including the ones that are feeling it back, belly and side need to get your butts up, march down to the Premier office and demand action.
The past is the past you can’t do anything about it then but you sure like hell can do something now. This is the present where you are and you can make that change if you really want it, but critique and bad mouthing is not getting anyone anywhere.
Take action. stop talking and start walking. It seems like a lot of you know what the problems are, and have a pretty good idea on how to rectify this issue, so what are you waiting for? Or are you waiting to use your precious time to post a negative comment instead of getting together and demand answers to get the job done? Just saying!