Minister responsible for Public Utilities, Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite has said the recent increase in water rates will allow the Dominica Water and Sewerage Company Limited (DOWASCO) to undertake much-needed capital projects to improve its water supply and to meet its monthly obligation.
She was speaking during DOWASCO’s Shareholders meeting on Monday.
DOWASCO is currently in need of revenue as well as additional resources to manage the company and to provide water to all of the residents of Dominica which is a mandate of the government.
The increase came into effect on June 1, 2024.
“I know that DOWASCO has been challenged post-Hurricane Maria and Covid-19. Notwithstanding the many challenges, DOWASCO has been able to meet its financial obligations and most importantly continue to provide Dominicans near and far with good quality potable, safe pipe-borne water,” she said.
According to Lockhart-Hypolite, at the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 10, 2021, the Chairman of DOWASCO stated that there is a critical need for an increase in the water rates for the financial sustenance of the company.
“DOWASCO, as all of you may know, would have made several submissions to the government and finally the Cabinet approved, increasing water rates for both the domestic and commercial consumers,” she stated. “This increase will allow DOWASCO to undertake much-needed capital projects to improve its water supply and to meet its monthly obligation.”
Meanwhile, Lockhart-Hypolite said some of the capital projects that will be undertaken are the Paix Bouche water supply and will cost in the region of $1.8 million.
She mentioned further, the Biyak, Laudat water supply at $2 million, “and under the water sector strategic development project we have the Calibishie, Castle Bruce, Grand Fond, Morne Jaune, Riviere Cyrique and Grand Savanne and Salisbury water supply all costing in the region of EC$36 million ”
She went on to state that inflation has increased tremendously and there may be a challenge to get the pipes and fittings, “but DOWASCO is making sure that it improves the water supply of many Dominicans all over.”
Large businesses will pay an additional flat fee of $800 per month for the Water Access Charge, medium-size businesses will pay $175 per month, small businesses $100 per month, and domestic customers will pay only $15 extra per month.
That woman just needs to shut the fork up!!!
The dam government is more broke as the word and so now it’s anything to fleece poor people. Shamefully, it’s the same “poor” people that are running around saying “labour is still the best choice”; best choice my arse!!!!
Those ferking more dah rahs will never enjoy the salary etc. that taxpayers’ must pay them, never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I does hear nonsense talk wee boi!!!!!
Did she really hear the rubbish that just came out from her mouth?
So now its on the BACKS of limited income ppl the charge has to be put on?
Then come yr end a mentioned of a PROFIT?
Allu have to do better than that!!!!!
When u already have responsibilities with lil monies not to include single parents and some NEP workers.
This is unfair to me as a Dominican barely making ends meet.
I just hope businesses does close down or reduce staff to to such change….
I’m thinking of my pocket and that minister show be front and center to ease the cost of that high bill.
My two cents
Your two cents rant, do you know the worth of your two cents rage and ranting, irrational. Have your fifteen minutes of fame, so long for your silliness.
When you place political hacks in position of chairman of an important entity as water, one who has little experience with water, exept seeing over a devastating the water crisis in the Virgin Isles, a desert, that got worse, you should expect to back-track covering their rate hike faut-pas. You must now own it and try to explain. Water in Dominica Must Be Subsidized for the poor. Let’s see you fix it!
d $6 billion we have hanging out outside d country should be more than enough to fund dowasco overdue projects. somebody should go n get it. not just what dowasco want to do their projects that have no names, but all of it you know. its dominica own, so it should be in dominica to start with anyways.
Seems to me that is DOWASCO that voted her in and not the people of Roseau south. How does a government minister justify a raise from Dowasco on the back of her people and doesn’t push for a raise for her people or even fight for her people to get a job so they could cope with inflation? Boy look bull crap in the commonwealth
I need to call my boss and tell him to increase my salary. I have my own “overdue projects” to complete.
We could have entered into an agreement with Antigue to supply them with clean Nature Island water
You have projects to do and you put dem on de back burner until they are overdue then you raise the price on us so u can now afford to do maintenance projects.
funding for these projects is a drop in a barrel for CBI
or Skerrit can go begging a foreign friendly government to fund it for him please!
dem is just a dynamically useless bunch of wannabe upclass in society people!
Now poor people pocket has to finance overdue water projects in a dynamic economy!!!
To introduce something like this when we can see how far our dollar can stretch to buy groceries is criminal especially because Skerrit and his cabinet think dem alone deserve a raise to handle themselves in this struggling economy.
These are the signs of failed economic practices
Skerrit used to say money is not a problem
where’s de money!……..it’s not in our bank account!!!!!!!
Chekira, two scriptures I want to quote:
A. Luke 12:48 “To Whom Much Is Given Much Is Required”. Madam, much was given to you and the clapping ministers but nothing to us. In fact you all keep taking from us as if ur government is on a mission to live us broke
2. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.2nd Cor 8:9.
It’s clear that the Roosevelt Skerrit administration was Poor but became rich, so that you all could use our poorverty as a whip to whip our butts .
Boy, if we don’t get rid of this evil government soon, I suspect it’s just a matter of time before all you force Dominicans to eat our own sh.. because we won’t have money to pay our water bills and buy food , just as in the days of severe famine in Samaria , where people had to buy donkeys head and dove poopoo for survival according to 2nd kings 6:25
This tyrannical regime is hastening the demise of the already poor, overtaxed citizens. The excuse is that government needs revenue to undertake much needed capital projects. Can’t this be accomplished by other creative ways other than taxing the poor?
We get the impression that the country is ‘broke’. Yet, this ultra-lying regime very recently gave themselves a hefty increase in salary for loitering in public office. Overseas trips by public officials continue unabated. Billions of CBI money remain in escrow accounts it is alleged. Sixty four thousand plus (64 000+) is being spent monthly on keeping the notorious Liar and his family in a palatial mansion.
How the unemployed in Dominica survive is nothing short of miraculous. The poor can take no more. Father intervene!
We the people have questions:
1.) How are the categories of businesses determined?
2.) fund “Overdue projects”, projects typically have a life span. Will the charges be removed after achieving these projects?
3.) Has there been participation of CBI funds in these projects.
Ideally, the first objective of the CBI should be to alleviate costs on Dominicans. They have the money engaging Tom Dick Harry while the locals have to force to still pay more for fundamental services such as water supply. Dominicans need a waking up.
but wait na…big d stupid man send u infront? but remember all got all u huge increase..so…what can u care…? once election pass is close on people…
“She went on to state that inflation has increased tremendously and there may be a challenge to get the pipes and fittings, “
Madam minister we understand you but however you should also understand the crisis that Skerrit and his administration put us in. Look, while he gave between 20% to 30% increase to all of his ministers he gave no increase to very little increase to the majority of poorblic servants as well as removing bread from the mouth of the majority of those that were self employed. For example, 1. he got rid of the banana industry that once was our breadbasket
2. He got rid of Ross University that once provided an income for over 3000 Dominicans 3. He got rid of our local construction industry and replaced it with foreigners, especially Chinese that seem to be getting all government contracts while they seem to be getting everything here from housing, water, electricity etc free. So madam, what about each minister donating 15% of their salary towards Dowasco bill?
Bravo honourable Minister! Water security is absolutely of the highest priority. I commend the government for prioritizing these projects!
It is important for us to pay attention my fellow citizens.
These projects stated by our dear minister add up to $40 million ECD, and we are funding them through increased fees to DOWASCO.
When one hears about these $200 Million US dollar hotels, $60 million US dollar payouts to foreign developers, all funded by CBI, one thing for sure is apparent, that the people of Dominica come very last in the government’s list of priorities.
COVID-19 and Maria affected the quality of life for almost every Dominican, yet we are being punished, because the government didn’t have the wisdom to take care of their highest priority, before filling the pockets of the politicians and foreigners. Now that CBI is on the decline (as they were warned numerous times would happen), they are scrambling for money, and it seems their new target is the citizens.
Come out dere eh 365 rivers, water should be practically free in Domnica… Why not use the CBI money to do those projects instead of building a bunch of hotels that going to be empty.
Well you see derp, one of the most important aspects of this water is management. Your water which was never a big issue, a few small villages to run some pipes to; is now ran by, of all people, a chairman of DOWASCO whose only experience with water is from a drought stricken desert, the Virgin Isles where people don’t even flush their toilets unless absolutely necessary.
That is a failure with an anticipated rate hike. It happened.
Makes you wonder how did that job interview go, if there was one. Not surprised the Kalinago are now paying for water that’s in abundance.
We just bought an igloo ‘from an Arab’ in the hot Dominica sin, I mean sun.