By Balford Henry, Acting News Editor 
Buchanan
THE NATIONAL Water Commission (NWC) yesterday indicated to unions that it would look at the possibility of granting voluntary redundancies to some of its workers.
This was one of the issues considered by the NWC board recently and was relayed to the representatives of the unions - the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), the National Workers Union (NWU), Jamaica Union of Public Officers and Public Employees (JUPOPE), the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO) and the executive staff association yesterday, by president, E.G. Hunter.
A union source told The Gleaner that the number of persons seeking voluntary redundancy numbered at least "a couple hundred". NWC communications chief, Charles Buchanan, said he could not confirm any figure, but said there were requests "from time to time" for voluntary redundancies.
Mr. Buchanan said that he could not confirm either that the board had agreed to the voluntary redundancies, but he knew that the matter was discussed at the board level and at yesterday's meeting.
Asked what was the current position on general redundancies at the cash-strapped water agency, which had $6.5 billion in debt assumed by the Government last week, Mr. Buchanan said, "I am not aware of any change in the situation."
He was specifically asked to comment on suggestions aired since late 2001, that redundancies were inevitable in light of the fact that employees' cost had risen to 50 per cent of the Commission's costs. The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has requested the Commission to cut the employees' cost as one of its economic targets prior to any rate increase.
The rumoured redundancies are, however, expected to be informed by a comprehensive review of the Commission's operations, which is also likely to inform the request for a rate increase.
Some years ago, the Commission had looked at the issue of redundancies, but the sticking point was said to be the number of positions to be made redundant. A task force, which was set up to investigate reports of corruption and mismanagement at the Commission, had recommended that the workforce be cut to make it more efficient.
