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36 September 2016 - Business View Caribbean
Business View Caribbean - September 2016 37
the island. The NWC’s operating expenses are paid for
via user fees. “We don’t get support from the govern-
ment,” says Barnett, “unless there’s a specific project
that government wants us to do, then they will provide
us with some capital resources, but, in general, the
revenue we earn is what takes care of our operating
expense and loan portfolio. In other words, we try to be
as self-sufficient as possible.”
The NWC operates within the policy context of the Gov-
ernment of Jamaica’s goal of universal access to po-
table water by the year 2025 and the establishment
of sewerage systems in all major towns by 2020. This
presents a serious challenge for the NWC because
proper water supply and wastewater services are high-
ly involved, complex, and costly - particularly in Jamai-
ca where the need to pump water to and from remote
areas over hilly terrain incurs very high electricity bills.
According to Barnett, Jamaica also suffers from a high
amount of water loss, or what is known as non-reve-