DEPUTY THA Chief Secretary Dr Faith Brebnor received stinging criticism from several PNM ministers on January 29 after she accused the government of failing to address the water challenges facing many people in Tobago.

At a sod-turning ceremony for the construction of the $50 million Goldsborough Water Treatment Plant, Brebnor prefaced her welcome remarks by telling Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy, all of whom sat at the head table, that they should not schedule events on Wednesdays, when the executive council meets.

Brebnor, assemblyman for Belle Garden/Glamorgan, said access to potable water was “a fundamental human right, one that we struggle with, unfortunately, in Tobago.

“I get the calls all the time as area representative, this area is included in my district. I get the calls all the time from people who are saying to me, ‘Dr Faith, call WASA, please. Is three days now we ain’t get water.’ Coincidentally, when I got up this morning (January 29) and I turned on my tap, there was nothing.”

She said her water tank was also empty.

“For my tank to be dry, it may not have had water flowing through the pipes for some time.”

Brebnor said she hoped the project will treat with the water challenges in the area.

“Minister Gonzales, even though we have some of the other projects that we congratulated ourselves for in the west, I still get calls from people on the western end and I still get calls from people in Plymouth…It means that we need to figure out what exactly is happening, why we are still having these challenges.”

Nevertheless, she said the construction of the Goldsborough Water Treatment Plant was an example of the THA’s commitment to true progress for the island.

“When we got the call that this project needed to happen in Goldsborough and when we got the call that this project needed to happen on lands that were already vested in the Tobago House of Assembly, we quickly ensured that what needed to happen, happened very quickly so that these properties would be vested in WASA so that this project can continue, again showing that this Tobago House of Assembly is one that truly understands that we need to do whatever we have to do for those who we represent.”

[caption id="attachment_1136248" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales - Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption]

Addressing Gonzales directly, Brebnor said, “I sincerely hope that this kind of collaboration, one where for example, I am invited to be a part of the celebration, is not just happening because we were forced to do it.

“In other words, Minister Gonzales. I am waiting for the invitations for the other events that are going to be happening as it relates to public utilities on the island. I pray that this level of collaboration is one that allows each and every one of us to recognise that we all have an individual responsibility to do everything that we ne