–employees honoured
IN a simple yet significant ceremony on Friday evening, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) celebrated its 22nd anniversary, acknowledging the contributions of various employees and the impactful strides the corporation has made over the years.

May 29, 2024, officially marked 22 years since the merger of the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA) and the Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commission (GS&WC) into GWI.

Shaik Baksh, GWI’s Chief Executive Officer and one of the company’s longest-serving members shared his sentiments to fellow staff, saying, “You have made a sterling contribution to GWI, the only water utility in this country. Without you, we would not achieve all the things as we celebrate this 22nd anniversary. But we must reflect a bit on the past because it was 22 years ago that GWI was established, on the 30th of May 2002. And that was a milestone because, before that, we had several agencies and organisations in control of water at the national level. It was a divided water sector, so to speak.”

The keynote address was delivered by Collin Croal, Minister of Housing and Water. He underscored the challenges GWI continues to overcome.

“These long-standing employees know what it is like – the transformation that has taken place. What is of interest, however, is the challenges that they faced then in pursuit of clean water and it still persists today in the world. We still have to address constant waste and leakages in our systems, but we have made good strides in significantly increasing water access across our country, to every region, upgrading and introducing new infrastructure in water networking.”

Minister Croal further added, “Equally, we have invested in improving the skills and knowledge of our staff and the service offered by GWI. We will continue to invest in this critical service, even as we move closer to meeting our United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal. All the technical reports that I see report that we are getting close to achieving the targets set out in the strategic plan.”

Recounting some of his ministry’s biggest developments, Minister Croal stated, “We have been able to pass on direct benefits to consumers, as we are reminded, through the restoration of our water subsidy for our pensioners. We removed the VAT that was placed on the consumption of water. A combined, 201,000 citizens are benefitting from these interventions. The hinterland, which can be slow to catch up in its development trajectory, has seen the construction of a number of new wells, increasing access to water. Some villages are now getting access to potable water for the very first time.”

The minister further stated, “The most important people here tonight are the special invitees, the people we are honouring and inviting – our employees. It is therefore my joy to join you this evening in celebrating employees’ work and their life; it must have a meaning. They are symbols of what we can achieve when we set our minds despite the challenges and the setbacks.

Long service awards are especially important, as they signify the commitment that our staff gives to the organisation, Guyana Water Inc. These employees, all combined, carry the rich history of GWI in their experience. They know where we all started, they know where we are going. My hope is that, despite the years and these challenging times, they too remain optimistic.”