Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley has cautioned that restoring the Virgin Islands' water system will be a lengthy process that cannot happen quickly.
Speaking on Virgin Islands Voice on September 30, Wheatley acknowledged the scale of the challenge. "You're not going to be able to rebuild your water system overnight. It's going to take a lot of time, and in some instances it's going to be very painful, because when you do the work, when you're connecting the pipes, when you're repairing the reservoirs, persons are going to be without water for some time," he said.
The water supply issue has persisted in the territory for years. The Ministry of Communications and Works, led by Minister Kye M. Rymer, is carrying out repairs to reservoirs and replacing old and damaged water pipes to address the problem.
Wheatley expressed confidence in Rymer's commitment to the work. "I believe that the minister is extremely passionate about getting the work done," he said, describing Rymer as a high-performing minister who pushes for resources needed to complete the job.
The government is backing the effort with additional funding. An extra five million dollars will be allocated for water infrastructure improvements, Rymer revealed during the same broadcast.
Wheatley stressed that the investment being made now will eventually deliver results. "I believe that all of the investment that we are making right now will create a situation that will result in a reliable supply of potable water for the people of the Virgin Islands," he said.
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