PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jun 25, CMC – Less than seven months after he assumed the position of chief executive officer of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Keithroy Halliday, the former general manager of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has been fired, two days after the Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath labelled him as a “failed CEO from Barbados”.
In a statement, WASA said its Board of Commissioners had Wednesday appointed Jeevan Joseph as acting chief executive officer, effective June 25, 2025.
“Mr Joseph brings over two decades of extensive technical and managerial expertise in the utilities sector with a distinguished career at WASA. His appointment underscores the Board’s commitment to redefining the path forward for the Authority, focused on achieving equity in the supply and distribution of pipe borne water across Trinidad and Tobago,” the release stated.
When he was appointed last December, the then WASA board said “Halliday comes to us with a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the water utility sector, most recently as general manager of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA)”.
Halliday, a St. Kitts-Nevis national was credited with transforming the BWA into a “zero-budget entity” during his tenure there.
But following the April 28 general elections that brought the United National Congress UNC) led coalition to office, a new board was appointed and two days ago, Padarath efended the new government’s decision to scrap the transformation plan, which Halliday was heading, saying it cost the taxpayer TT$13.4 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) and would have sent home 2,500 workers.
“They brought in a failed CEO from Barbados who had very little track record in terms of change management, in terms of changing out the authority. Instead, they were looking to pass the buck on to somebody else for why the transformation plan would have failed, because there was no political will to get it done,” Padarath told the Parliament on Monday night.
In announcing the new acting CEO, WASA said that Joseph holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies and is an MBA candidate at Anglia Ruskin University.
“Since joining WASA in June 2000, he has held pivotal roles, including Manager of Technical Services for Wastewater Systems, where he spearheaded the development of standard operating procedures, asset management strategies, and cutting-edge technological advancements to enhance operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.
“His leadership in project management, strategic planning, and infrastructure rehabilitation has been instrumental in addressing critical challenges in the water sector. Mr Joseph also played a leadership role in major pipeline projects in Trinidad including the Navet and Hollis Trunk Mains Projects,” the WASA release added.
Joseph said that he is “ honoured to lead WASA at this critical juncture,’ adding “my focus will be on collaborating with stakeholders, leveraging innovation, and ensuring that everybody in every community receives fair and sustainable access to pipe borne water. Together, we will build a stronger, more responsive WASA.”
CMC/ag/ir/2025