NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Shadow minister for water Ian Hayles is flaying the Government for what he has described as its failure to face the ordinary residents of the resort town that has been in the vice-like grip of a water shortage for months.

He also put forward the steps he would have taken to address the issue, instead of those proposed by Senator Matthew Samuda who has responsibility for the water portfolio.

“The meeting that was kept in Negril was a closed-door meeting; a town hall meeting has not been held as yet with the people of Negril,” Hayles, who is the People’s National Party’s aspirant for Westmoreland Western, told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday, shortly after issuing a release to the media.

Last Thursday, Samuda, senior strategist in the Ministry of Tourism Delano Seiveright, representatives from the National Water Commission (NWC), hoteliers, business owners and other stakeholders met to discuss Negril’s water woes.

Hayles has, however, taken issue with that approach.

“You cannot represent people and hide from them under air conditioning because 99.9 per cent of those who voted for [MP for Westmoreland Western] Morland Wilson don’t have an air conditioner in their house,” he said.

“You must meet with people on their own turf! It is important that you do so, and that hasn’t been done. The minister doesn’t have a clue and the Member of Parliament doesn’t have a clue,” Hayles chided.

He has promised to meet with residents.

He said he was not in support of plans to run a pipeline from the Roaring River Treatment Plant to Negril and has instead proposed a comprehensive plan to channel water from both the Roaring and Cabarita rivers, creating multiple pipelines extending into various communities. Reference was made to a plan by National Water Commission which highlighted the potential of harvesting 17 million gallons of water per day from Cabarita River alone.

“Access to water is a basic human need and it is imperative that our planning reflects the growing demand in areas undergoing rapid infrastructural development, such as Negril,” Hayles asserted. “The proposed pipeline from the Roaring River Treatment Plant to Negril, though touted as a solution, is merely a Band-Aid on a much larger issue.”

He also highlighted the inadequacy of the treatment plant in Logwood to supply water to surrounding communities. He suggested that integrating it with the Cabarita and Roaring River sources would enhance access to water for existing communities while providing sufficient capacity for future development.

Hayles also proposed measures to optimise water usage, such as mandating hotels and large businesses to utilise stored water during daytime hours, thereby alleviating strain on the pipeline during peak times.

“Investing in water infrastructure requires foresight and strategic planning,” he added. “The Government must prioritise sustainable solutions that not only address current needs but also anticipate future demands. Access to clean and potable water is a basic human need and it is our duty to ensure that it is preserved for generations to come.”