Hons Rymer & Penn clash over water crisis affecting VI
Hon Penn throws the first blow
It was Honourable Penn, who has served in the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government and the Unity Government, who took the first swing, stating in a press missive on July 8, 2026, that “The people of the Virgin Islands have endured months of severe drought conditions, but what they should not have to endure is a government that has failed to adequately manage and provide one of the most basic necessities of life, water.”
The Opposition Leader further said the water crisis is unfolding at a time when families are already struggling under the weight of rising food prices, soaring electricity bills, increased fuel costs, and a cost of living that continues to climb.
“Yet instead of providing relief, this Government has allowed the water situation to deteriorate to the point where residents are effectively being forced to pay twice, through their taxes and again through repeated water purchases, to access a service that Government has a responsibility to provide.”
Honourable Penn urged Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and Hon Rymer to address the situation, saying that the Government “cannot continue to stand by while families shoulder yet another financial burden created by its inability to ensure a dependable water supply. If Government cannot provide the service, then Government has a duty to help cover the cost of securing that service elsewhere”.
Hon Rymer counter punches
The Works Minister, Hon Rymer, in a statement also on July 8, 2026, acknowledged the frustration and hardship many families have experienced with the current water supply, adding that access to a reliable supply of potable water is an essential public service, and this Government remains fully committed to improving the system and delivering lasting solutions.
Hon Rymer, however, did not allow Hon Penn to just lay the blame squarely at the feet of the current government, adding that the public deserves more than political soundbites. “They deserve the facts.”
He also reminded Hon Penn that the current Government inherited an ageing and severely neglected water infrastructure after years of underinvestment, including during the period when Honourable Penn served in the previous administration.
“Distribution lines that are decades old, deteriorating reservoirs, inoperable pressure management systems, and the decommissioning of the Sea Cows Bay Water Plant as well as the Government-owned water plant at Baughers Bay have all contributed to the challenges we face today. These are longstanding issues that did not develop overnight and cannot be resolved overnight.”
Hon Penn was also reminded that the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government has made significant investments to modernise the Territory's water infrastructure, including constructing four reservoirs and that critical rehabilitation works will be undertaken on an additional five reservoirs.
The Works Minister also highlighted that road works across the territory are being used as an opportunity to replace outdated water mains, upgrade ageing pipelines, and modernise pressure management systems that are critical to improving the reliability and efficiency of the overall network.
Exercise ‘honesty & responsible leadership’- Hon Rymer
Meanwhile, appearing to have a solution, Hon Penn proposed a water assistance and subsidy programme for residents.
Hon Rymer; however, exposed the Opposition Leader when he said Hon Penn “is obviously aware that a Cabinet Paper is currently being worked on to address targeted relief for vulnerable households, and that this process is already underway.”
According to Hon Rymer, the subsidy programme requires careful design, clear targeting to ensure it reaches those who need it most, and a full assessment of its fiscal implications.
“These are exceptional circumstances that require honesty, cooperation and responsible leadership, not attempts to politicise a national challenge that has persisted for decades,” Hon Rymer stated.
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62 Responses to “Hons Rymer & Penn clash over water crisis affecting VI”
1st its starting to destroy the road
2d is this over flow or broken pipe
In this case Marlon is right. VIP took the steps to get the ball rolling but I think it was more of political move rather than one for the well being of citizens. I’ll have to side with Marlon on this one. He’s absolutely right. Water is a vital essential of life and I can only imagine the horror what those who don’t have a steady flow of water are going through !
Sense or the logic to come up with a solution as to the constant water running down elevator hill. My nephew who is away can correct the problem but if he comes back to help, these ignorant people living here is going to say he come down here to take over and tell them what to do.I hear it all the time.
The ministry sat back and allowed the one who ran against the Premier last election to run every engineer out of Water and Sewerage. How can WSD function without an engineer on staff? To this day the ministry does NOT have an engineer on staff! They currently have a Mechanic acting as director now and still NO engineer on staff. A mechanic! The people with the knowledge on the water and sewerage systems have been retiring every year and they’re not even replacing them! The people need to protest so they can get their act together.
Don’t wait till some disease broke out in this territory to do something about it. I see the premier just hired a former director of WSD as his political advisor. I suggest that he get him to put a team together with retired WSD employees to fix this problem before it is too late. He knows who the retirees who are capable of getting it done! If anybody can FIX Water and Sewerage it is him!
Fix up.
The term "Third World" originally referred to countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO (First World) or the Soviet bloc (Second World) during the Cold War. Today, this Cold War political classification is outdated, and the term is generally used to describe economically developing, low-income, or underdeveloped nations. Go figure
development plans, strategies and action plans. They don’t exist yet they all paying themselves big and hiring brother, sister and auntie as specialist advisors for $160,000.
Well their names written big enough on the side of the trucks. It ain’t in their interest to fix government water, they gonna lose to much side income.
The VI is a small, resource-poor, water challenged bedroom community with an increasing population, requiring a larger , robust water utility program, ie, water, wastewater, and stormwater (drainage). Moreover, the VI lacks rivers, lakes , dams, etc., from which to source its water supply for residential, commercial and industrial uses. Consequently, it must lean heavily on desalination to meet its demand. This will require effective planning, funding, massive water infrastructure design, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, effective management, etc to meet its short- and long-term water supply.
Moreover, generally, water systems are self-supporting, ie, sustain by customers.. However, in my opinion due to the customer base in the Vi, residential customers water needs may need to be subsidized. A few years ago, it was reported that the Water and Sewage Department intake revenue was approximately $5M but expenses were approximately $26M.
Further, the VI needs a water utility Master Plan . Undoubtedly, the VI will have to borrow to fund the utility master plan. The VI has a relatively low debt to GDP ratio , so it may be able to prudently borrow to fund this critical and vital need/tesource.
Moreover, the VI can benchmarked other small water-challenged locales, eg, Singapore, etc. Singapore went into independence in 1965 as a poorly educated, resource-poor, a low GDP capita ( ~$500), water-challenged, etc., country. Today, it is an economic power house, one of the Asian Tigers, etc, with a GDP per capita ove.
Moreover, this critical need ( crisis?) will require an all hands on deck effort, ie, government and opposition, community, etc, to make it happen, bringing to fruition by delivering a reliable supply to tap.
For God sake it's time to do something about it.
The old politicians didn't have tertiary education and huge management skills, yet things kept moving forward. Because they loved their country and sat down with the requisite persons and planned their next steps forward to build their country. This crew, Hon. Rymer included mostfly focus on re-election, so they spend their time planning for their Districts, not their Ministries, their majory responsibilities and this small but blessed Territory.
I actually saw Asians gathering water by the gallon from a public tap in the Park. Migration to these Virgin Islands should be slowed or halted for a while until these water issues and road issues and tons of other issues are fixed before we get a break out of cholera like Mother Africa. It is shameful but the Premier and his Ministers should put down their da*n phones and focus on running this country. They talk a good game, but not working to take us forward.