(Trinidad Express) – THE LEGISLATION for the increase of fines and penalties for water theft by private contractors is currently going through the legislative process, reported Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath.
He said the legislation is currently with the Office of the Attorney General and will then head to the Law Review Commission (LRC) before going to Cabinet.
He provided the update while was speaking to reporters on Monday night while at the Soogrim Ramdhaniesingh Recreation Ground at Lachoos Road in Penal during a function marking the installation of lights under the Public Lighting Programme.
‘The recommendations were made from the board of WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority) to the Ministry of Public Utilities about a week ago. It’s now with the office of the Attorney General. That has to go to the LRC. So that preparatory work has been concluded. It goes to the LRC and then it will go to the Cabinet…This legislation is sort of archaic because the WASA Act has not been reviewed in quite a while and, therefore, significant work has to be done on the Act itself,’ he explained.
Last month, Padarath claimed private contractors were stealing water from WASA facilities and selling it back to people within the same communities. He warned that this is an offence and the Government will be heading to Parliament to seek to have the fines and penalties increased.
