Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Connect. I thank Allen and Connect for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.
Water Issues
It’s a pity that many people, after taking their grievances to the proper authority eventually go to the papers and tell the world that they got a bad deal at the water or electricity company. Many times we read about people who had a run in with an unhappy and overworked nurse or doctor who had been rude to them. The authorities never respond to deny or apologize. But it makes good reading. As for me I always think that the complainants are wrong because no authority ever goes back to the paper to apologise or sends the police to charge the complainant for false accusation.
Anyway one great problem that we are facing is water cuts. We have been told that we are experiencing a drought and the rivers are running dry. It is costing government thousands of dollars, which will soon go into the millions, to cart water to places where water has been cut or pressure is not strong enough that they have to turn off some places so that other places can drink.
But there has never been any evidence shown to the people about the truth on pressure. Low water in the dam we can understand. Can a water engineer via the assistance of the TV companies do a documentary about the many manoeuvres that they have to go through shutting water here and there so it is distributed evenly?
If PWD can do this documentary, all the people who have been complaining can understand the predicament that is at hand and stop complaining. And another thing when water is cut, could the PWD be decent enough to let us know that water will not be turned on at a certain place and time. FEA takes great pains to publish controlled power cuts for maintenance – the water company never does this.
This way we can appreciate and respect each other. Or better still can someone from FEA go over to the water company and tell them how it’s done, please. I have a lot of respect for FEA.
I bet many letters of complaint can never be published because they contain swears.
Read Comments below to see what "High and Dry" has to say about this!
6 comments:
Just announced. No bandmaster for Wellington but an exchange of top level Civil Servants.
BASA
We cannot find any censors to get the OK to pass this on to the Fijian public. I think they are on an extended coffee break. It may make the six o'clock news if we are lucky.
BASA
Blogs Rule. I see FijiToday has posted it already.
BASA
Yeah, but it doesn't say the band master won't go eventually. Mere is just "acting".
The situation with unannounced water cuts and no back up supply or water tanks in towns is scandalous. It cannot comply with Fiji's signature on international conventions for the requirement to provide a treated, secure and reliable supply of water to all citizens/residents/investors. There is no excuse for the failure to inform short of accidents which occur from time to time. Even then, information must be relayed swiftly and accurately. In the past three days at a Western Division resort, water has failed to come through at around 0700 - the busiest time of the day. Later, low pressure was a blight on all proceedings. There MUST be a better way than this? Muddled, confused and at times idiotic explanations are put out on the radio. No time bound response is supplied as to how long the supply of water will be off. They need a shake up, these water supply people. It is just not good enough and it has not been, for years and years. May we suggest that all who are convicted on abuse of office and corruption charges in connection with public money diverted from Water Supply, should be compelled by the Courts to provide restitution. This should be in monetary and work hours. While in jail, they ought to be made to upskill themselves and do requisite work on supplying the Prison Facilities around Fiji with good, clean water which is constant. Clean up all buildings and think constantly about the damage that has been done to the supply of a basic human need. Plenty to work on!
I agree with High and Dry 100 %. And i might just add that no government - elected or otherwise - has ever managed to do something about the water issue. They've all only talked about fixing the water problems, but have nothing to show for it.
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