PM Urges JPS to Provide Date for Restoration of Power to Southwest St. Elizabeth

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness is urging the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to provide a commitment date to restore electricity to Southwest St. Elizabeth, which was among the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Beryl.

He made the call at a meeting held with the JIS executive team at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday (August 5), where it was revealed that the area will not be restored to the grid by the August 12 deadline.

The Prime Minister implored the JPS to move quickly to return power to the communities, particularly Southfield, which is a commercial centre.

“In terms of St. Elizabeth and in particular Southfield, you should make it a priority… .  It would be a sign of your own commitment and investment in your own credibility if you were to direct resources to have Southfield energised. It would relieve the pressure in that area significantly because Southfield is the economic centre of much of the activity there.

“So, when Southfield is down people can’t get to do their regular shopping; all the activities that they would normally undertake. So, at least, if you get Southfield back up, then even the [surrounding] communities they can survive, they can get charge, they can get water, they can buy ice if they need,” he pointed out.

For his part, President and Chief Executive Officer at JPS, Hugh Grant, informed that the entity has procured 30 compressor and 60 jackhammers from overseas, which should arrive in the island this week.

“That would help us tremendously in terms of our restoration levels, as currently we just need more machinery and equipment to expedite some of the things we are seeing,” he said.

Mr. Grant noted that additional resources have also been brought in through Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation, where 27 linemen are now in the island and are on the ground working to restore power.

“I have instructed the team to go ahead and seek all the resources that we can get, so that we can deliver on our commitment. So, we have several things in motion to do that,” he told the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Mr. Grant said the JPS is committed to restoring light to St. Mary, St. James and western Hanover by August 5.

“The good news is we’re track to do that except for 17 customers in Fire Hole in Western Hanover, and we are working through that. The next big commitment and target date is August 10 to deliver on St. Ann; we are on target to do just that,” he noted.

“The other date that we have is August 12 and there we commit to delivering on the remaining six parishes. This is southern Trelawny, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon Manchester, Westmoreland and eastern Hanover. We are on target to deliver on these by August 12. One element that we see right now that is at risk, is southwest St. Elizabeth,” he informed.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, who was also at the meeting, called for the JPS team to meet with the residents in southwest St. Elizabeth so that they are aware of what is happening.