PRESS RELEASE – The Water and Sewerage Company Inc. WASCO can now move ahead with plans to improve water distribution to residents of Bouton, following a judgement in its favour, handed down by the high court this week.
On Monday 5th November 2018 the High Court of Saint Lucia dismissed the court actions SLU 2018/254 and SLU 2018/190 filed against the Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) concerning the Belvedere/Bouton Water Supply Project.
The land earmarked for the project had been vested in the crown, however, as a result of an injunction filed by the previous land owner in April 2018, preparatory works on the project came to a halt, until the matter was resolved in court.
These High Court Actions commenced in April and May 2018 respectively which prevented WASCO from completing the Belvedere/Bouton Project within the estimated time frame.
Judgment was entered in favour of WASCO, as the court found that the Applicant did not meet the necessary threshold established for granting such applications.
The Belvedere/ Bouton project was being spearheaded by the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) in early 2015 with the clear objective of addressing the supply issues being experienced by residents of Bouton.
This project entails the installation of a 50,000-gallon storage tank, 3.27 kilometres of four inch PVC and ductile pipeline, construction of a pump house and the installation of a water pump at the tank location, to increase the water supply availability, reliability and sustainability to residents of Bouton.
General Manager Edmund Regis remarked that “WASCO is very happy with this decision and would like to again assure the residents of Bouton, Belvedere and Colombette of our dedication in ensuring that improvements are made to the water distribution system supplying these communities”.
WASCO is currently mobilizing to re-commence the project. (WASCO)