Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley says he is yet to receive a response from the Government as to who will benefit from the increase in water rates at the Pt Lisas Industrial Estate.

Rowley made the complaint during yesterday's debate in Parliament at Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

Rowley said under the United National Congress (UNC) government several questions regarding corrupt practices were yet to be answered.

Stating the rate increase "is of serious concern for the people of T&T, since the chickens have now come home to roost," Rowley said back in the 1990's when the idea of having the desalination plant was introduced, the People's National Movement (PNM) had warned such a venture would be costly.

"We are being asked to raise the price of water improvement rate from$4 to $8.50, at the time when Government took a decision to have the desalination plant.

"The then Minister at the time (Ganga Singh) and then permanent secretary Emmanuel George (now Public Utilities Minister) were told there will be an increase in cost and we should use the fresh water," Rowley said.

Claiming there was a "marvellous bid-rigging process" in which now deceased contractor Hafeez Karamath tried to have his agent advise the UNC government "that he (Karamath) was the right person for the desalination contract," Rowley said investigations conducted by the police and Canadian forensic accountant Bob Linquist revealed there was a high probability of corruption involved in the awarding of contracts.

"The T&T Police Service conducted their investigation and found that certain trust arrangements have been put in place for unnamed public officials in T&T who are beneficiaries of about 25 per cent of the desalination shares," Rowley said.

"In so far as price increases, who are the people benefitting from the price increase?" Rowley asked.

Rowley said the reason for the concern is that the Opposition was never satisfied with the owner of the desalination plant "where persons were approving their own benefits."

"We may very well be approving an increase for somebody who made their own recommendations," Rowley said.