The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Karl Samuda, who told the nation on Tuesday that water was restored in “large part” following talks with the unions representing workers at the National Water Commission (NWC), has now said he was given faulty information.

Samuda made this admission Wednesday afternoon in the House of Representatives as taps continue to run dry and some schools were forced to ask parents to keep their children at home.

On Tuesday, while addressing the Parliament, Samuda spoke to ongoing talks to resolve the issue of strike action taken by approximately 2,000 employees of the state-owned NWC, following a meeting at his North Street offices.

READ: Water restored in ‘great part’ following meeting at Labour Ministry

He was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament for St Catherine Southern, Fitz Jackson, on the motion for adjournment during Tuesday afternoon’s sitting of the House.

However, speaking in the House on Wednesday, Samuda said: “I was made to believe, before making the statement (Tuesday), that there was an attempt at resumption and that not all the water systems of the country were off. That has turned out not to be the case. But, when I made that statement it was based on advice that I received”.

The minister acknowledged that the vast majority of the water systems have been out since yesterday “and up to now”.

He told the House that either the prime minister or minister of national security will be making a statement “based on actions taken to ensure that some systems that are of critical importance affecting sensitive areas of our country, are reopened, and access to them was made possible through the use of the security forces”.

Meanwhile, Samuda said discussions reconvened at the Labour Ministry at 10:00 Wednesday morning with a view to resolving the issue.

NWC workers walked off the job Tuesday morning in protest over an outstanding reclassification exercise and the ongoing public sector review.