AFC youths appeal to GWI to address water woes in Guyana

Sep 30, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – The youth arm of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Youth for Change (YFC) is calling on the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to address challenges citizens in sections of Guyana are facing to have access to potable water.

Member of the YFC Onix Duncan in a statement last Friday at the patty’s news conference told reporters that the access to clean water is a human right that has an impact on the heath of the public as well as the quality of life. Duncan noted that there has been an ongoing issue with inadequate to no water distribution in regions across the country and has urged  the government to prioritise addressing such.

“There are known reports from Prospect, East Bank Demerara, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, La Parafait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Beterverwagting and Plaisance, East Coast Demerara and communities in other regions. The water situation cannot be ignored any longer. Guyana is known as the land of many waters, and it is discouraging for citizens to be struggling to access potable water. This water situation will affect the health and wellbeing of citizens for not days or weeks but months, disrupting daily life, and hindering economic opportunities,” Duncan said.

He further stated that the company has remained silent for the most part, failing to both address the concerns citizens have raised and to provide any considerable updates on the situation as calls to the customer support hotline are unanswered.

“This lack of communication by GWI is most unacceptable and undermines the trust that consumers have in organizations that provide critical services. Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was allocated GYD$17.7 billion in the 2023 budget and another $22.5 billion in the 2024 budget to improve access to potable water in the hinterland and coastal communities,” he lamented.

They also suggested that the GWI should reach out to the communities affected to be able to get a better understanding of their needs and use the feedback to incorporate into their plans to provide a better service. There should be regular communication and open forums established to ensure that residents are informed as well as involved.

Duncan further stated that, “Customer support is unreachable. GWI needs to ensure that Guyanese can enjoy the right to clean and safe drinking water. ( Youth For Change is led by a group of vibrant young people who operate within the framework of the Alliance for Change (AFC). The YFC is focused on issues that affect young people in marginalized communities while promoting social change and equity. The YFC champions youth policies and initiatives that promote the wellbeing of Guyanese.)”

On September 14th 2024 this publication reported that, the GWI in a statement said that it has commenced pipe replacement works along Avenue of the Republic and High Street as part of its Georgetown Transmission Replacement Programme.

The company explained that the current transmission mains, installed between 1920 and 1960, are being replaced due to frequent leaks and breakages, which have made them costly to maintain. This initiative, backed by a $1 billion investment from the Government of Guyana, aims to upgrade the city’s water supply network.

C & L Construction Inc. has been contracted to complete the works. Notably, the replacement works will be executed in two phases: Lot 2 covers the section of Avenue of the Republic between Hadfield and Church Streets, while Lot 3 focuses on High Street between Hadfield and Broad Street. Each lot is expected to take six months.

Moreover, GWI said that it is actively engaging with stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and public agencies, that are expected to experience disruptions during the project timespan.

In August of this year the company came under fire from customers who are voicing their frustrations online over the company’s ongoing water supply issues. Many customers expressed outrage, claiming that these issues have persisted far longer than GWI acknowledges. Some residents report that they have been struggling with water supply problems for weeks, if not months.

In the comment section of GWI’s Facebook post, frustrated customers did not hold back. One user, Oshaviyah Kattow said, “This has been ongoing for WEEKS now. Months, actually! Residents of Georgetown have been receiving little to NO water for MONTHS now and the water we have been receiving has been of absolute poor quality! If is not y’all making our lives hell, it’s GPL. Sick of this! Make haste and FIX IT cause we don’t beg ayo. WE PAY.”

Like Kattow, numerous other customers shared similar experiences, stating they have been receiving little to no water for an extended period. Others posted alarming images showing the brown, murky water coming from their taps. Natalie Ann Gammell, another dissatisfied customer, posted, “Woke up this morning to cook and this was the colour of the water running through the tap. Yall really need to do better…Fed up.”

The quality of the water has raised concerns about potential health risks, with some residents worried about the effects of using such water for bathing.

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• AFC, GWI, Regions, water situation, YFC

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