Statement by Hon. Philip Brave Davis QC, MP
I have observed with great interest the public discourse between the government and Aqua Design, the local water plant operator, over the disconnection of the water supply in Central Eleuthera for more than one week.
The question to the government is very simple. Did the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) pay its bills to the water supplier and if not, is the supplier justified in turning off the water supply for nonpayment just as the government has disconnected the water and power supplies to thousands of its customers for nonpayment?
The inconvenience caused to many businesses and the suffering of the people of Central Eleuthera including a possible compromise to their personal health are due in great part to the negligence of the government who would rather engage in a public spat with a supplier rather than honour its contractual obligations. This is indeed regrettable.
Much of the public finger pointing and the back and forth are mere distractions and irrelevant to the central issue of payment – or nonpayment for services rendered.
The government must lead by example and pay its bills just as it demands payments from its utility customers. Between July and October, it was reported that the power supply to more than 8,700 BPL customers have been disconnected for nonpayment.
What is good for the goose must be good for the gander.
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