Water provider urges PC to pay up
published: Tuesday | January 13, 2004

By Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer

PORTLAND:

THE PORTLAND Parish Council owes approximately $116,000 to the Rapid Response Unit, which the emergency water agency is urging the local authority to pay up so that residents can continue to benefit from its services.

Paul Fyffe, Rapid Response's north regional co-ordinator, says the council needs to clear its arrears before the trucking of water can resume.

RAPID RESPONSE

"The Rapid Response has to be earning its way. When we started three years ago, Government financed us with $150 million. Now to date we are down to $50 million which comes directly from the Finance Ministry," he said.

The $50 million allocation, he said, has to cover expenses related to the fleet and its maintenance, salary, and the upgrading of other systems.

In responding to a request made by Mayor of Port Antonio Halston Hunter regarding the trucking of social or free water to residents in the areas of Johns Town and Chepstowe, Mr. Fyffe told the council that despite the needs of residents who are dependent on water for domestic and sanitation use, only basic schools have and will benefit from the Social Water Programme.

The Portland Council has decided to make a part payment of $50,000 to the Rapid Response, so that the trucking of water by the unit can resume.