Dear Editor,

Most regrettably, the Jamaica Observer on Sunday, December 15 carried an entirely erroneous story from unidentified sources about an unnamed project implicating the National Water Commission without even having given the commission an opportunity to respond prior to publication. I am convinced that mischief is afoot.

Further to the publication, the National Water Commission’s chairman and acting president met with the writer and provided all the answers requested and pointed out the major errors contained in the story. The commission was assured that a correction would be forthcoming and that was carried in last Friday’s Observer.

Notwithstanding, last Thursday’s Jamaica Observer has now compounded the unjustified treatment of the commission by publishing a mischievous cartoon. To compound the issue, an unfortunate letter to the editor was also published in which the outgoing president and the NWC were further maligned without a shred of evidence.

Nonetheless, the name of the letter writer is not unknown. I would hope that upon reading this letter, the writer will do the honourable thing.

For the record, Mr Editor, the NWC has undertaken no project to replace two lengths of pipe for $8M and later ended up costing taxpayers $32M. That is absolutely false.

It is obvious that the Jamaica Observer was making veiled and mistaken references to an emergency sewerage undertaking in Duhaney Park earlier this year. Sections of the sewers in Duhaney Park had collapsed, resulting in raw, untreated sewage coming to the surface and flowing along streets in sections of the community, as was carried in your newspaper on March 6 and March 8 of this year.

The commission was threatened with public demonstrations, lawsuits and epidemic outbreaks. Given the nature of the circumstances, corrective works had to be done immediately. Mr Editor, it follows that since NEPA, another agency of this ministry, has responsibility for the protection of the environment, we would have more than a passing interest in the expeditious resolution of an environmental problem.

While the commission is authorised to undertake sole-source contracting in emergencies such as this one, the commission — out of a commitment to transparency and competitive bidding — contacted four different civil engineering contractors to invite their immediate bids on the job as assessed from the surface.

The National Contracts Commission was advised and, out of that short process, a duly registered civil engineering contractor was subsequently engaged on an emergency procurement of works basis.

Obviously, the initial quotations were based on the above-surface interpretation of the work to be done on sewers some 5-6 metres below the surface which could only be inspected and evaluated after excavation.

Upon quick mobilisation and excavation down to the damaged sewers, it became evident that the damage was more extensive than contemplated by the above-surface generated original estimate. The aged sewers (more than 30 years old) crumbled from what we assessed to be due to the illegal chemical discharges into the sewers compounded by the high water table and aggressive underground environment to which the pipes are exposed.

Working in waterlogged, sewage-contaminated environments is particularly difficult.

In full conformity with the Government of Jamaica Procurement and Contracting Guidelines, the contractor proceeded to complete the work, which was now much more than originally envisioned. After careful scrutiny and conformity with internal and external good governance/contract administration practices, the NWC has since paid the contractor $21,163,938.14 to undertake the duly supervised and measured work at the previously established rates.

The approved and normal procedure for treating with emergencies as provided for in the Government of Jamaica Procurement and Contracting Guidelines was indeed scrupulously followed in the award of this emergency contract as well as in effecting the payments for the expanded scope of work that was only discernible after the initial excavation.

There was absolutely nothing scandalous or improper about this necessary intervention for which the commission has received value for money in very difficult circumstances.

Finally, Mr Editor, I write because several concerned citizens have been calling me to enquire what is the true story. I therefore implore you to give this letter similar prominence to the erroneous stories. Far from being scandalous, I have congratulated the NWC on a job well done under difficult circumstances.

In the meantime, let me wish for you and your readers a wonderful holiday season.

Robert D Pickersgill, MP

Minister of Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change