The now controversial Beetham Wastewater Recycling Plant was a project first approved by the People's National Movement (PNM). A Memorandum of Understanding, obtained by the Sunday Guardian dated January 6, 2006, shows an agreement between the National Energy Corporation of T&T (NEC) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).Contained within the eight-year-old agreement is a confidentiality clause that bars either party from publicising any portion of the MoU.
"Each party undertakes that all information hereto or hereinafter furnished or made available to any one of them by the other including but not limited to technical information relating to the MoU or any other information which may from time to time be identified by the terms of this paragraph will be kept strictly confidential and will not be disclosed or divulged to any person (other than its representatives) and that it will proceed that its representatives will not disclose or divulge same.
No news, public announcements, advertisement or publicity concerning this MoU shall be made by any of the parties hereto without prior written consent to the other party," the three-page document states.In the MoU both parties agreed to eight points, but included the need for the "necessary Cabinet approvals."The Sunday Guardian understands that PNM Cabinet did give its approval back in November 2007 but utilised a marine pipeline through the Gulf of Paria instead of an overland pipeline.
The current contract was awarded to Super Industrial Services Ltd (SISL).When asked about the PNM approval, Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley confirmed but said it was not the PNM that decided to "inflate the price and give it to SIS."