Executive Director’s 2016 New Year’s Message

To all of our members, supporters and friends, I want to wish you a Most Happy, Joyous and Healthy New Year in 2016. The continuing success that our Association has had over this past year could not have been achieved without the support, encouragement and willing participation, as well as “patient understanding”, of a wide variety of stakeholders in the water supply and sewerage sector of Albania and the Western Balkans.

The patient understanding goes specifically to our faithful members, who may feel that they have not heard much from SHUKALB during 2015.  We have been doing the usual things: Annual Joint Balkans Conference in Prishtina; Regional Utility Management Conference in Tirana; Friends of Water Program for the 3^rd Grade Students; World Water Day support to our members; among other activities.

However, the greatest thing that SHUKALB has done in 2015 was to begin the implementation of the large grant from USAID to develop 40 training courses, in Albanian, and to work with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to establish a test-based operator certification program for the water supply and sewerage sector in Albania.  Similar to when you construct a building, you do not see the foundation very easily, but the building cannot stand without a foundation.  The Year 2015 was the period of building the foundation for training and certification.  In 2016, you will see that building rise out of the ground as a very significant and important part of the water sector reform in Albania.

SHUKALB received the grant from USAID, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure entered into partnership with SHUKALB to institutionalize test-based certification, because they both see SHUKALB as the most serious, professional and committed organization in the water sector of Albania.  It has taken 15 years to get to this point in the development of SHUKALB.

• For those members who have been with us, since the beginning, the debt to you can never be repaid by SHUKALB.
• For those members who have joined us along the way, you have added much to the reputation of SHUKALB.
• For those who have not committed to become members to date, SHUKALB awaits you with open arms of welcome.

With this New Year, we welcome you to the New Burimi, as an effort to improve services to our members, and strengthen contact with our stakeholders.  You may learn more about the New Burimi by reading the dedicated article below, and exploring the features that this communication tool offers.

There is still a great amount to be done, but based on the last 15 years; SHUKALB has proven that we can do it.

Philip D. Giantris

Executive Director[:]