Last Updated on August 18, 2023, 6:46 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, recently interviewed with Freedom FM, where he spoke to the host of the Programme Issues SKN about the various steps his administration has taken up for the benefit of the island’s people. During his interview, Jamie Mc Phail spoke to the prime minister.
The interviewer urged the Prime Minister to address some of the developments that have taken place during the first year of the administration. In this regard, Dr Drew addressed various issues, including the instability of the social security scheme.
He also recounted all the efforts that he and his team made to bring the Development Bank and the social security fund back to its feet. The Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew also spoke to the interviewer regarding the ongoing water situation and crisis that is currently ongoing in some of the communities of St Kitts.
He stated that they are working to deal with the water crisis. In line with this,, they have enlisted the assistance of the drilling company, Bead to start the drilling of well in the Cayon Community. He also said that he has seen something happening that the former administration is responsible for BEAD. That is so laughable.
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew clarified to his interviewer that the former administration was responsible for stopping them from working. Dr Drew added that we pledged that we would work towards resolving the water situation in Cayon during the campaign.
“The reason why we have such a bad water problem is that one no new developments will take in place with respect to water.” PM Terrance Drew stated during the interview.
He clarified that BEAD is a drilling company that works for water drilling. He stated that the former administration stopped the company from working and sought to bring in another company. As a result of that, nothing was done for seven years.
PM Terrance Drew stated that they have climate change hitting them and are going through one of the worst droughts in our history. People are the effects of the lack of water. He expressed that he feels for the people of Cayon and his community Saint Peters.
PM Drew expressed that We go through a lot. It’s challenging. It isn’t easy. Accordingly, Dr Drew asked for their patience. He claimed that We had sent the firetruck. We have sent the water truck. We continue to send the fire truck. We continue to send the Water truck to assist the people of the affected communities.
We have just signed a contract to purchase water storage tanks. So at least when the water truck goes, they have a larger receptacle to store the water. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew acknowledged that the people are facing serious challenges. And that is why we decided early to get the drilling company, BEAD, back on track.
Dr Drew announced that Bead was delayed because the equipment was doing nothing accordingly. The equipment in question had some deterioration. Thus, the company had to return the machinery to scratch to carry out its work.
Sharing the update further, Dr Drew announced that Bead found water quickly. They shared that they had gone down over 500 feet. They have hit a good well thus far. He claimed that the initial studies have shown that the water is potable.
He shared that the team are now going to do another 72 hours. There is a series of testing that needs to be done. So the first so preliminary has been good. Dr Terrance Drew stated that “I am praying and keeping my fingers crossed. I’m asking the nation to pray as well.”
He expressed that the Cayon and Saint Peter’s community will be so relieved to pray that the water will be declared portable after 72 hours of using the World Health Organization Standard.
The well has revealed more water than we expected. The initial studies show about four to 500,000 gallons per day. Meanwhile, testing shows we have between 700 and a million gallons per day. So we have one big blessing thus far. the Well, two, the preliminary testing shows that it is potable water. Mm. And the last
Prime Minister stated that the next step is to prepare the well and connect it to our water supply system. The interviewer asked them how long they anticipated this procedure to take. At this point, Dr Terrance Drew stated that according to the experts, it would take two to 3 months.
Dr Terrance Drew stated that by Christmas, we would resolve that issue. And the well has a lot of water down there. But while doing that, we are still working at a distance. We have a backup. Let’s say this doesn’t work. It’s not the end of the day.
Regarding the backup, Dr Drew said they will bring another 300 to four hundred thousand for Marriott at the end of this month. And then we will build a Desal plant which will supply us with 200 million gallons. So we have backup after backup because we are determined that the country must have water. That is where we spend our money.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
