The Tribune

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has issued a statement in response to today’s Tribune story detailing proposals by the Water and Sewerage Corporation to increase consumer prices or impose taxes on homeowners with private wells.

The proposals were contained in WSC’s 2023-2028 business plan, and were confirmed as accurate and genuine by Leon Lundy, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for the corporation. 

A short video was released on Monday titled “Prime MinisterDavis Responds to The Tribune Story on WSC and the IDB recommendations”, although the proposals detailed in the story have been put forward by WSC. 

Mr Davis said that the headline in The Tribune “has caused Bahamians to believe that the government has taken some decision to increase water prices. That is absolutely not true.”

In the story, Mr Lundy said that “no formal decision” had been taken. 

Mr Davis continued: “There is no intention of the government to raise water rates at any time. Nor will we be taxing wells. In fact, the recommendations have been made many many years for the taxing of wells dating back to the Pindling administration and increasing of water rate dating back to the Pindling administration. We do not intend to do either, tax wells or raise water rates.”

A report from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) released earlier this month revealed that an increase in consumer water rates as well as new and/or increased taxes for homes with private wells are included within the WSC plan. 

Mr Lundy told The Tribune that the proposals were “in the early phases” of being considered by the government - although they now appear to have been ruled out by the prime minister. 

Other proposals in the WSC plan include taxes on reverse osmosis plants used by companies for self-supply, increasing Customs duties on equipment for private wells and to mandate that all businesses have “an active water connection”.