National Water Commission of Jamaica

Business View Caribbean 9 coffers. “We want to become a financially viable entity and be a net earner for the government,” he declares. He also likes to think about ways that the agency can expand its revenue stream, such as bottling water and competing with private sector companies in that arena. “Since our water has a more superior quality and taste than some that is already on the market,” he asserts. “So there are opportunities that we could look at. But first, the agency has to make sure that the supply of water is reliable and then we can venture into other areas and do those value-added projects.” Meanwhile, Barnett insists that clean water, in and of itself, is still one of Jamaica’s most valuable “curren- cies,” and providing it to as many residents, business- es, and tourists, as possible, it is key for the country’s future growth. “Our vision is to contribute positively to national development,” he asserts. “We want to ensure that the residents have access to regular, high-quality, potable water, and secondly, we want to ensure that the services that we provide encourage investment in the various sectors that the government is targeting – tourism cannot flourish without a reliable supply of water; certain industries are unlikely to survive without a reliable source of water. So, we consider ourself the backbone of, if not the main ingredient for, national development, because water touches all spheres. Wa- ter is really what determines the health of the nation and the level of development that can take place in a country.” And that is why the motto of Jamaica’s National Water Commission is “Serving You in so Many Ways.” PREFERRED VENDORS Hood-Daniel Well Company Ltd. - www.hooddaniel. com Caribbean Maritime Institute - www.cmi.edu.jm Omni Industries - www.omniindustriesltd.com