As part of its attempt to prevent further blackmail, the beleaguered Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is exploring an option to purchase the Desalination Company of T&T (Desalcott) as a way of writing off its multi-million-dollar debt.

The confirmation came from Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales after the Cabinet Sub-committee appointed to look into the operations of WASA in its recent report advised cash-strapped WASA that the utility can extricate itself from the contractual agreement with Desalcott by exercising its right to purchase the Point Lisas plant.

Gonzales who chaired the committee admitted to Guardian Media that the initial 20-year contractual agreement between WASA and Desalcott was one of the worst decisions made under then prime minister Basdeo Panday.

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