NO HOLDS BARRED: Let’s Appoint a Water Czar

We know for a fact that the Secretary of Agriculture is our de facto food czar, but do we know who our water czar is? If we really do not have one, is it not time to appoint one before it is too late?

While some might say that it is too early for that, I say that it is the right time to do it now, because we are already seeing some symptoms of shortages that could come sooner or later. God forbid, let us not wait for the time when we have to import fresh water, just like what we are doing with rice now.

Perhaps about twenty years ago, it probably sounded like a crazy idea to import rice, being an agricultural country with plenty of land and water. Fast forward to today, who is crazy now?

I hate to play a blame game later on, that is why we should act now while we can. No, I am not proposing the creation of a “Department of Water”, because that would create another layer of the bureaucracy that could even slow down things further. What I am suggesting is a water czar with Cabinet rank, who will be reporting directly to the President, and who could work closely with the dozens of departments and agencies that are either producers or users of water.

To begin with, the water czar should base his plans and recommendations on real supply and demand data, not just guesswork and rough estimates. If he needs help, I can activate my think tank group to assist him.*