Martin served at home with termination letter from the APUA Board of Directors, sources claim

Esworth Martin, general manager of the Antigua Public Utilities
Authority (APUA), will not be on the job until the end of the year, as
was expected, since sources say he has been terminated from the
statutory body.
 
A source tells REAL News that the termination letter – reportedly
signed by Sir Robin Yearwood, chairman of the APUA Board of
Directors – was hand delivered to Martin in Johnsons Point on
Thursday afternoon, November 9.
 
It is alleged that a security officer from the Authority delivered the
letter – which apparently overrides Martin’s resignation – while he
was hanging out with fellow villagers.

Martin had worked at the utility company for over three decades,
and his resignation – according to Prime Minister Gaston Browne –
should have been effected in about six weeks time.

His voluntary departure appears to have been prompted by
continued and numerous complaints from the public about the poor
delivery of water by the APUA – a problem that Browne, in 2014,
had promised to fix in two weeks.
 
During a radio interview last weekend, Browne had declared that
Martin needs to leave the job, since the Cabinet remains dissatisfied
with the production and distribution of water throughout the
country.

Based on Browne’s remarks then, it is expected that someone will be
appointed to act in Martin’s position in the interim, ahead of a
permanent appointment.

Meanwhile, the prime minister also admitted that his administration
is tired of making excuses to the people. And if the Cabinet
members’ jobs are in jeopardy as a result of the water crisis, then
the managers at APUA should not be allowed to keep theirs, he said.
 
He added that the APUA Water Business Unit is the biggest threat to
his administration.

Following this vicious lambasting on Saturday, Martin threw in the
towel on Monday, APUA insiders had alleged to REAL News that day.
 
In the meantime, a source says he is fearful that the job of Ian Lewis,
the Water Business Unit manager, might be next on the chopping
block, as Browne has told him to get something done immediately
to prevent himself being removed from that post.

The prime minister has described the situation in which
communities are going without water for weeks at a time as
“madness.”
 
He said his administration is monitoring the Water Division very
closely, and “if heads have to roll, heads will roll, because we’ve had
enough.”

Residents have criticized Browne for attacking the managers and
staff of the Authority and absolving Sir Robin and the APUA Board of
Directors of all responsibility for the situation.