An Opposition MP has criticized comments made by Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzalez following a court ruling against WASA.
The Authority was ordered to pay a Laventille woman $1.2 million for damage done to her property in 2003.
Yesterday, the Minister said the case highlights the need for change within WASA and allegedly advised persons to seek legal advice if they felt their properties were damaged by the company’s negligence.
Princes Town MP Barry Padarath criticized the advice to seek legal advice, saying the Minister should instead focus on addressing WASA’s failing infrastructure.
He added that while there has been talk for the past few years about restructuring the Authority to improve efficiency and delivery, this has not materialized.
The MP also believes that as line Minister for WASA, Mr Gonzales should assess the approach being taken by WASA for claims of negligence, seek legal advice and work with the company to resolve these matters and address the root causes in other instances to avoid a recurrence.
