Three National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) employees are back home, having spent three weeks in Dominica assisting Dominica Water and Sewerage Company (DOWASCO) workers with the restoration of the islands water supply.
NAWASA officials welcomed Gerard Simon, Garvin Jones and Kurt Edwards back to Grenada on Thursday November 23rd, 2017 following their tour of duty in the Hurricane Maria ravaged island of Dominica.
The three employees, who volunteered their time were greeted by at the Maurice Bishop International Airport by General Manager Mr. Christopher Husbands, Manager and Assistant Manager of Transmission and Distribution Mr. Joel Thomas and Ernest Bruno, and Human Resource Manager Mrs. Pansy Ventour.
Immediately on his return Kurt Edwards indicated his readiness to return to the Nature Isle to assist in completing the work they have started. “It was good; very challenging as well…I’m willing to go back and give them the pull out because it has a lot of work still to do.” Edwards says he does not mind the hard work and long hours.
In outlining their experience in Dominica, Gerard Simon indicated that they worked along with both DOWASCO and other regional partners to get the job done. “We worked long side and we made things happen because working in the woods with just a bag with some water and a snack and we worked for hours…Saturday, Sunday, every day of the week”.
Simon welcomes the opportunity he was afforded to assist Dominica’s nationals.
The third of the three, Garvin Jones, was also grateful for the opportunity to be able to assist. “The place was real destroyed. It brought back memories to how Ivan was…but we did our best and the Dominicans were happy that we came to help them out.”
General Manager Christopher Husbands highlights NAWASA’s corporate social responsibility and notes that the company stands ready to send another team if a request is made. DOWASCO management indicated that the team did and exceptional job and expressed gratitude for the support. Mr. Husbands notes that as a regional utility and having gone through a similar experience following the passage of Hurricane Ivan NAWASA understands what it’s like to be thrust into that situation. “Certainly, the region as a whole has increased collaboration and support for one another because you never know when any one island can get hit, so we were happy to be able to join the effort.”
The three NAWASA employees willingly worked long hours and took pleasure in the joy of residents on having their water supply restored. According to the three, they will not trade the opportunity to come to the aid of those in need for anything. The NAWASA General Manager has indicated that he continues to be in contact with DOWASCO officials and stands ready to send another team to Dominica if a request is made.
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