Member of Parliament for North West St Catherine, Hugh Graham has sought to assured residents of the Orangefield community in his constituency that the National Water Commission (NWC) has committed to completing improvement works to their water supply system within four weeks.

The residents were invited by Graham to join him at the community centre for a meeting, following a demonstration on Monday (November 22).

Media reports on Tuesday had suggested that Graham had called on residents to end the blocking of roads in Linstead and indicated that he would only be willing to speak with them when the demonstrations had ended.

ASSURANCES FROM THE NWC

Graham, in a statement Wednesday, said he had now been given assurances by the NWC following the meeting.

He said the NWC has provided a three-point plan leading to the improvement over the next four weeks.

These, he said, included the commissioning of a newly dug well to provide 2.5 million gallons of water per day, commissioning of newly installed pumps to ensure water reaches hilly areas and completion of interconnection works.

He said NWC teams are also in the final stages of certification of the electrical systems to facilitate the improved pumping.

Graham welcomed the improvement plan and said he sympathised with the citizens who have been patient over a long time with the substandard service from the existing Jericho supply system.

This system has become inadequate due to increased demand.

Graham also condemned the action of persons who sought to use the demonstration to create political mischief.

He explained that he did not attend the demonstration as COVID-19 protocols, including the wearing of masks and social distancing, were not being observed there and consequently he proposed the meeting at the community centre.

“In addition, it is very difficult to have discussions with demonstrators at the scene, and I thought the community centre environment would facilitate our exchanges in a better way,” he said. 

The MP said he was relieved that the NWC had now set out a clear plan and timeline for the citizens to get adequate water.

He said he would hold them to their commitments, which he intended to widely publicise.