Member of Parliament Candidates for East and West Rural St Andrew, Patrick Peterkin and Joan Gordon-Webley are expressing deep concern over conflicting reports on water quality testing in their constituencies.

Recent discrepancies between statements from the Ministry of Health and the National Water Commission (NWC) have left residents confused and uncertain about the safety of their drinking water.

Peterkin and Gordon-Webley are calling on the government to immediately address these inconsistencies, release all relevant test results, and implement a transparent and structured water quality monitoring system to protect public health.

Patrick Peterkin stated, “The people of East Rural St Andrew deserve clean, safe water, no questions, no inconsistencies. It is completely unacceptable for government agencies to provide contradictory information on something as vital as water quality. The authorities must come forward with clear, reliable answers and take urgent action to resolve this matter before it escalates into a full-blown crisis.”

Underscoring the urgency of the situation, Joan Gordon-Webley stressed the need for immediate government intervention: “Water is essential to life, and our residents should never have to question whether what they are consuming is safe. The government must act with urgency, release all water quality reports in full, and ensure that proper safeguards are in place to prevent future contamination. Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable when it comes to public health.”

The candidates are also advocating for:

• Routine, publicly accessible water quality testing and reporting to ensure residents are always informed.
• Immediate infrastructure upgrades to improve water treatment and distribution in rural communities.
• Increased oversight and coordination between the Ministry of Health, the NWC, and other relevant agencies to prevent further discrepancies.

Peterkin and Gordon-Webley reaffirm their commitment to standing with their communities and holding the government accountable. They said they will continue to push for concrete action to ensure that all residents in East and West Rural St Andrew have access to clean, safe, and reliable water at all times.