Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Kazim Hosein.
With sporadic protests for water escalating in several parts of the country, Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein has intervened.
Following a meeting on Monday, Hosein approved the use of $1 million from unspent balances for the 14 regional and municipal corporations to assist with water trucking.
His approval came days after a Joint Select Committee meeting last week showed some 260,000 families were affected by an ongoing water crisis.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government Raymond Seepaul disclosed that the total average truck supplies 63,800 gallons per day at all 14 corporations. However, he said the annual demand was 25.5 million gallons.
A money issue at regional corporations is adding to peopleâs problems to get water.
Acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government Raymond Seepaul says municipal corporations, particularly in rural areas, are facing a funding challenge to provide communities without water with a truck-borne supply.
The ministry provides oversight for the 14 corporations.
Seepaul said according to a survey conducted by the ministry, among all 14 municipal corporations the total average of truck-borne water supplies on a daily Âbasis amounted to 63,800 gallons.
âWhat we would have been informed about is the actual supply needed by these municipal corporations was more in tune of 25.5 million gallons. This would be an annual supply. So this is basically the reality that exists. We are also looking at an overall number of households in the vicinity of 5,000,â Seepaul said.