Former Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales has challenged the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) over its public response to the forensic investigation involving Flexible Enterprises Limited (FEL), accusing the authority of attempting to protect its line minister.
In a media release dated October 20, 2026, Gonzales questioned why WASA’s statement did not identify when the forensic investigation commenced.
He maintained that concerns about corruption in water trucking were raised years earlier, citing a 2009 Ernst & Young report and a Cabinet Sub-Committee report he laid in Parliament in March 2021.
Gonzales said he subsequently directed WASA’s board to audit water trucking activities, with outstanding contractor invoices verified before payments were made.
He further disclosed that Flexible Enterprises Limited was specifically audited because of the substantial value of outstanding invoices associated with the company.
According to Gonzales, WASA also strengthened monitoring in 2024 through the commissioning of its Operation Control Centre to address corruption concerns.
The Arouca/Lopinot MP maintained that he was unaware of any whistleblower complaint between 2019 and 2024, insisting that the audits initiated under his direction followed findings from the 2021 Cabinet Sub-Committee.
His statement raises questions about the timeline of WASA’s current investigation and what measures had already been taken under the previous administration.
The allegations and audit history presented by Gonzales have not been independently verified against WASA’s records.