Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Yuri Chandisingh yesterday confirmed his resignation from the utility and said that it was prompted by a desire to pursue familial commitments overseas.
“The veteran of the water sector concluded that he will continue to wholeheartedly support the initiatives of the Government of Guyana in significantly improving the Nation’s water sector,” a statement from GWI said. In the statement, GWI responded to a report in yesterday’s edition of Stabroek News on Chandisingh’s resignation, which quoted one source as saying that there was “some issue with the minister.” Efforts to get Chandisingh before the publishing of the article were futile.
GWI said that Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali has said that he has tremendous confidence in the Chief Executive and Management Team of GWI. “I have publicly acknowledged my admiration for Mr. Chandisingh and his management team” Ali was quoted as saying.
“This happened as recent as the commissioning of the Somerset Well Station last December. Mr. Chandisingh has delivered on the benchmarks set in 2010, with improved levels of service in locations across Guyana, as well as a reduction in the amount of problems faced by the Georgetown Sewerage System,” he said. “I have every confidence in Mr. Chandisingh. Since he assumed the position of Chief Executive, Yuri has brought GWI to a more respectable standard. There are on-going challenges but many customers are viewing the company in a more positive light, especially with new initiatives like the country-wide school education programme and ‘Community Connect’ activities,” the minister was quoted as saying.
“Certainly Mr. Chandisingh has delivered on many of the targets of the GWI Turn-Around Plan,” stated Ali. “I have congratulated Yuri and his team on a job well done both privately and in published reports in the media. The contrary reports carried in the Stabroek News are baseless and indicate a complete disregard for the truth.”
And according to the release, Chandisingh said: “I wish to categorically state that Minister Ali has fully supported me in every initiative I have implemented at GWI. In fact, Minister’s constant support has provided much inspiration and guidance especially in areas of improved customer care and community outreach activities. Our relationship with the Ministry of Housing and Water has produced many fruitful projects from which our customers have benefitted. I condemn the false report carried in the Stabroek News and wish to call on the editors to engage in more responsible journalism, based on truth, rather than slanderous and unprofessional statements.”
