Approximately 213 executive members of staff at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) will be out of a job early next year, as the first phase of the Cabinet-approved transformation and restructuring plan is rolled out.
During a press conference at the Ministry of Public Utilities yesterday, Minister Marvin Gonzales said the plan had only been approved hours earlier by the Cabinet.
He said upon receipt of the confirmed Cabinet minute yesterday, WASA’s chairman Ravindra Nanga would be “written to and given the mandate to immediately commence the transformation process.”
WASA’s executive management staff currently stands at 426 and the plan has recommended a reduction of this by 50 per cent.
Unable to say exactly how much this will cost the Government, Gonzales said, “Now that the instruction is going over to the board to implement the restructuring and transformation process, the board is to return to the Ministry of Public Utilities and once I get the information and the instructions and the brief from the board with respect to the cost of this first phase in the restructuring process…that matter will be taken to the Cabinet and I will be liaising with my colleague, the Minister of Finance, to get the necessary financing to commence the transformation process.”
Claiming the transformation was urgent and necessary, Gonzales said, “We continue to have too many complaints.”
He said the board had compiled a detailed business plan for water improvement in each region and he assured: “We are at a very, very good stage to roll out this transformation.”
Saying all external resources will be employed as the plan is rolled out over a 15 to 20-month period, Gonzales said, “It is a transitional process. It is not going to as a serious and a chronic management problem.”
He said as the restructuring plan is continued later on and they move lower down the employee ranks, they will need a team of managers who are committed and share Government’s vision to improve the water supply overall.
He said WASA will take on a new structure that will see five service areas with five managers who will directly report to the Chief Executive Officer.
He said the level of management must be reduced to ensure WASA runs more efficiently and is not caught up in too much red tape.
Assuring that no move will be made to reduce the 5,000-strong workforce before discussions are had with the recognised majority unions, Gonzales said both the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) and the Public Services Association (PSA) had agreed WASA was overstaffed.
Gonzales said, “They have put forward on the table that when we have reached that point…they prefer the implementation of a Voluntary Separation of Employment (VSEP). I think there is general understanding that there will be some displacements.”
He said the plan will bring WASA into line with modern operating systems and also lead to new job opportunities for both former workers who can be retooled and young persons seeking employment.
Hopeful the restructuring plan will serve to reduce WASA’s operating budget by 25 per cent, Gonzales said equally, “The board is also mandated to ensure that its revenue collection is increased by a $1 billion.”
Asked how feasible it was to expect this restructuring plan to be successful given that two previous attempts under different political administrations had failed to improve the entity’s viability, Gonzales said a transformation could not only focus on reducing staff but must include a vision for a new entity, a business plan, et cetera.
WASA chairman Ravindra Nanga said, “At the lower levels…before any action is taken, negotiations will take place.”
Denying there will be any unilateral move on WASA’s part to send workers home, he said the unions will be engaged in wholesome negotiations.
Referring to the restructuring plan, he stressed, “This is not a retrenchment exercise.”
He said it was a dynamic plan and extensive efforts had gone into identifying WASA’s problems and shortcomings. Adding that with very serious inefficiencies taking place and critical issues needing to be addressed, Nanga said, “We are starting at the top.”
Gonzales said he was committed to improving the utility services for all citizens.