Hon. Minister Bradley Roberts,

Permanent Secretary,

Executives of the WSC.

Recognition of others,

Invited guests,

Ladies and Gentleman

On behalf of the Water and Sewerage Corporation, and the Corporation’s Board I would first like to express our collective appreciation to Ms Judy Daniel, of Environmental Advisors Inc., a consultant in the field of Environmental Law who has carried us to the stage where we now have a Final Draft Report. This is entitled “The Integrated Water Resources Management Plan for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas”. This is a very significant document and it could only be produced after hours of hard work, meetings with various agencies and individuals which involved wide ranging discussions, and a lot of polishing and cut-and-paste. Documents like this are like living organisms and will continue to evolve as the situation develops and conditions and opinions change. All of us here have the responsibility of nursing this plan and keeping it relevant to the modern Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Ladies and Gentlemen a hand for Ms Daniels….

From the public’s perspective the Water and Sewerage Corporation is perceived as the “Nuts and Bolts” organization in Government with the day-to-day responsibility of supplying potable water and sewerage services to the residents and visitors in the many Bahamian islands. In some special cases this role may be delegated to others but it still monitored and regulated by the Corporation.

However, the law of the Bahamas as set out in the Water and Sewerage Corporation Act of 1976, describes the functions of the Corporation as:

1. to ensure the optimum development of the Water Resources of the Commonwealth;

2. to coordinate all activities which may influence the quality, quantity and distribution or use of water;

3. to ensure the application of appropriate standards and techniques for water develop and management;

4. to provide adequate supplies of suitable water for domestic, agricultural, urban, and industrial purposes; and,

5. to provide drainage and effluent disposal facilities

To carry out these functions the Corporation is given extensive ancillary powers in law. However, these powers are exercised under the close direct supervision of the Minister responsible for Water. The Minister is empowered under law to direct the Corporation through written directions as to the discharge of the Corporations functions. These directions must be prepared after consultation with the Board of Directors of the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Based on the 1976 Act the Corporation is responsible for the Water Resources across the entire Commonwealth of the Bahamas. This responsibility however has to be a shared one. The law does not leave it solely to the Corporation to safeguard and conserve this critical resource but shares the responsibility between the Corporation, and other agencies and departments of Government and even the private sector. Many of the Laws of the Bahamas impact on water, water supplies, water quality, and the natural environment. Reflected here today are some of the many agencies and NGOs that share responsibility for the water sector in the Bahamas. These are the so-called stakeholders and they include, but are not limited to: the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and of Works, the Town and Physical Planning Departments, local government as well as the private sector which will include organizations like the Bahamas National Trust, farmers, developers, and all those who have businesses that involve the production and sale of water and wastewater services. These are just some of the agencies with which, and through which we act to fulfill our functions under the existing laws. We all share responsibility in one way or another for the management of nation’s Water Resources, water supplies, and public-health as it relates to water sector across the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is in this vein that the concept of Integrated Water Resources Management has developed, and as with every nation in the world it is critically important to the Bahamas.

Within the Corporation all the major departments with technical expertise in engineering, hydrology, water quality, and water supply interact to see that the interest of our ultimate stakeholder, the public, is protected as stipulated by law, and on the ground where it counts. Wastewater treatment and the proper disposal of effluent is also a primary component in IWRM as it to is a major part of the hydrological cycle.

Today we are here to review the work done to date, to discuss the findings and conclusions of this work, to consider any other relevant factors, and to plan the way forward. All must speak their minds, and give proper representation to their responsibilities and those they represent.

Ladies and Gentlemen do your jobs. Thank you.