Jamaican Water Agency Hires Collectors to Go After $4 billion in Debts

The National Water Commission, which in 2003 racked up losses of $618 million, says it will be moving aggressively to collect $4 billion owed by customers, as part of its effort to return to the black.

Government is among those that owed the state-owned agency money, with households and businesses also owing millions of dollars.

Already the agency has advertised for the services of revenue collectors, to strengthen its revenue recovery department. The agency’s president EG Hunter says the collectors will also help to combat illegal connections, and collect on long delinquent accounts.

At present, customers pay their water bill through a variety of payment agencies, principally Paymaster Jamaica and Bill Express. But the commission’s public relations manager, Charles Buchanan, says the collectors are now needed because of the scale of the receivable.

“We don’t get government grants,” said Hunter. “All our capacity is dependent on any- one who gets our service. Everyone must pay their fair share, bar none, and that’s the mandate from our board.”

The water agency has moved to beef up its collection capacity at a time when government is maintaining a tight hold of the treasury, forcing state-owned agencies to try harder to be efficient.

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