The unfinished well at Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) is not a project undertaken by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) as insinuated by Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton, who recently raised concerns about the delay in its construction.
Dr Norton, during an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday, called on the water company to offer an explanation on the delayed works on the well, which resulted in Kamarang residents using contaminated water for domestic purposes, resulting in a diarrhoea outbreak in the community.
The GWI, in a statement on Thursday, clarified that it was not responsible for the project, but rather, it was a project undertaken by the Basic Needs Trust Fund.
The Public Health Minister had registered his concerns over the diarrhoea outbreak in the community, which affected approximately 25 persons.
He disclosed that a 200-foot well was being constructed in the community, but it was only 50 feet deep to date and had called on the GWI to explain the situation.
Nonetheless, the water company said it would be dispatching a team to assess the situation and provide technical solutions to the community.
The team will be headed by the Junior Communities Minister with responsibility for water, Dawn Hastings, who will be accompanied by GWI’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles and Executive Director of Project Implementation and Partnership Building, Ramchand Jailal, among other experts.
The team of GWI officials will be taking a number of Lifesaver filters to distribute to the community of Kamarang today. The filters will allow for the provision of potable water for consumption by villagers.
