Despite the threat of dismissal of members of the Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) for participating in what Water and Sewerage Chairman calls an “illegal strike”, BUSAWU’S President Dwayne Woods insists that what its members are doing is not a strike.
However the water supply in several areas of New Providence was disrupted yesterday.
Mr. Woods told reporters that members came prepared to work yesterday, but were told by security to leave the premises.
In a communication in the House of Assembly yesterday by Executive Chairman of WSC, Adrian Gibson, he revealed that he had in hand evidence of tampering at WSC.
Mr. Gibson sent a message to union members that whoever is found to have tampered with the water supply will be dismissed.
Mr. Woods, in response said that if a union member is found to be responsible, the union will work hand in hand with the corporation.
“As far as the allegations that the chairman is making about the union sabotaging the water system or wreaking havoc on the general public, I want to say that first and foremost, the union does not condone wrong-doing in no which way.
“Secondly, I’d like to say that I can’t see none of my members doing such a thing to the general public, who we work for and support wholeheartedly. We live and die by providing water to the general public. Water is life. And that’s the way we see it.
“But we want to say to the general public that we have no knowledge of what the chairman is speaking about,” Mr. Woods said.
“If the chairman has such evidence that our union members are carrying out such acts, we will be the first to partner with him to see that the police do whatever it takes to bring those persons to justice. We have no knowledge of what he’s saying,” he said.
President of the Water and Sewerage Management Union, Ednell Rolle however, defended the workers and the allegations of their part in the alleged shutdown of water supply to areas of New Providence as he said WSC has a SCADA system (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition).
“I don’t know if Mr. Gibson and the private contractor arranged for whatever befalls us, but the private contractor has total control of our system. Our system has a complete SCADA system, anything goes wrong that contractor knows immediately.
“So, if a valve was shut off, the contractor would know within 10 minutes of that valve shut off [because] of the SCADA system. The mere fact the whole system is down, tells me that there may be collusion,” Mr. Rolle said.
Director of Labour, John Pinder who was at WSC headquarters, during the morning hours said the Department of Labour, the General Manager and Union Executives were expected to meet to attempt to bring matters to a resolve.
