St. George’s, March 23, 2010 (GIS) – Finance Minister Nazim Burke, who is also Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives, is baffled by a suggestion from MP Elvin Nimrod that government is sending “impure water’’ to Carriacou.
The region-wide drought, which is affecting Grenada, has also had a serious impact on Carriacou. The National Water and Sewage Authority (NAWASA) has had to send thousands of gallons of water to the Sister Island for domestic and commercial use, including farming.
Mr. Nimrod, opposition MP for Carriacou and Petite Martinique, told parliament recently that government sent “impure’’ and “rusty, dirty’’ water to Carriacou.
The water “caused serious problems for a lot of the residents,’’ charged the MP and Deputy NNP Leader.
However, Mr. Burke said that like in Grenada, NAWASA provides treated, potable water to the people of Carriacou.
“Government doesn’t stand to benefit from sending dirty water to Carriacou,’’ said Mr. Burke, Minister of Planning and Deputy Leader of the National Democratic Congress. “The government doesn’t stand to benefit from sending impure water to Carriacou. I trust that the Honourable Member is not intimating in any way that there is some improper motive involved here.’’
Carriacou-born Burke said it is regrettable if in the course of being transported to Carriacou, some water may have picked up rust.
“What we do is send pure water to Carriacou in the hope that it will get there pure,’’ Minister Burke reiterated. “If there is reason to believe that it’s not pure, I’m quite sure that some treatment can be provided to the water. That’s water NAWSA does; it takes water that is untreated and treats it so that it can become usable and consumable.’’
Hon. Burke promised that government, through NAWASA, “will continue to make our best efforts to ensure that the water that reaches Carriacou for consumption is indeed potable water.’’