HLDC not blaming anyone – Chair

Chair of the Housing and Land Development Corporation (HLDC) Beresford Phillips says that neither he nor the HLDC manager Elvis Charles is placing blame on the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) for failure to deliver houses to homeowners in Green Hill by the end of the year.{{more}}

“The HLDC were not blaming the CWSA for anything,” Phillips told SEARCHLIGHT, during an interview by telephone on Monday night.

“What we were saying is that as a result of the information received from the CWSA, they would not be able to deliver the water supply, so the delivery of the houses would be delayed.

“How could we be upset with the CWSA? Nowhere was there any suggestion that we were blaming CWSA.”

Following a meeting of the HLDC with homeowners on November 6, an audio recording of the meeting was circulated to some media entities.

One person who was present at the meeting told SEARCHLIGHT that the homeowners were lamenting the time taken to complete and hand over the homes, which were supposed to have been completed earlier this year.

With the CWSA stating that they would not be able to begin installation of pipes before January next year, homeowners would not be able to move in until after February, 2015, when CWSA general manager Garth Saunders projects that the installations would be complete.

The HLDC chair suggested that what was said in the recording was misrepresented, and that the response of the CWSA general manager may have been influenced by the way the information was communicated to him.

According to Phillips, the HLDC had accepted the position of the CWSA, and had explored with the homeowners, the possibility of installing temporary water tanks for those who are prepared to move in before the water is connected.

“We were trying to get a quotation to see if we would get tanks, and we would provide the water.”

Phillips noted that the HLDC never had a problem with the CWSA, and that both government entities have been working together to have water supplied at both Clare Valley and Green Hill, without any major issue, and at times, the CWSA would assist on short notice.

He said that the HLDC had written to the CWSA last month, requesting the installation of the pipelines, as well as a payment plan on the works, as they (the HLDC) were low on funds because of work related to the December 2013 disaster.

He also said that the CWSA indicated that they were low on stock and would not be able to commence installation before January 2015; information that the HLDC did not expect, but had to accept.

“I didn’t know that we were blaming CWSA.”

Phillips said that apart from the water issue, the homes should be completed by year’s end.

“We are working feverishly to ensure that the houses are delivered at a favourable time, and we are committed to solving the problem,” Phillips told SEARCHLIGHT. (JJ)