Opposition, OUR urge JPS to prioritise power restoration for NWC
Published:Saturday | December 7, 2024 | 3:56 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Dr Morais Guy, is calling on the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to prioritise restoring power to National Water Commission (NWC) facilities during power outages to expedite water restoration for consumers.
Dr Guy received support from Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) Director-General, Ansord Hewitt, during a virtual forum hosted by the OUR on Thursday.
The event provided residents of St Thomas, Portland, and St Mary with a platform to voice concerns about utility companies, including JPS, NWC, Flow, and Digicel.
“Some NWC pumps in St Mary rely on electricity from JPS, and we often find that pumps are inoperable due to power outages or insufficient electricity. This is an issue both utilities must resolve,” the opposition MP stated.
He urged JPS to prioritise the NWC as its largest customer, ensuring timely restoration without placing it in the general queue for service.
Dr Guy emphasised the cascading delays caused by outages, explaining that restarting pumps and delivering water over long distances, such as nine miles to reservoirs, significantly extend restoration times.
Hewitt revealed that discussions to address the issue are underway.
“I’ve engaged the new JPS president and the acting NWC president on this matter because it’s imperative. After Hurricane Beryl in July, I asked both utility heads to collaborate and find a solution,” the OUR director-general said.
CONSUMER frustration
The forum highlighted widespread consumer frustration with utility companies. A participant questioned whether the OUR serves as a referee between utilities and customers or as a defender of consumers against monopolies.
“Our mandate is to promote an environment where service is accessible and cost-effective for consumers,” Hewitt responded. “We aim to ensure investment confidence while delivering the best quality of service at the lowest economic cost. It’s an ongoing effort.”
Hewitt also confirmed that internet service provider Starlink is regulated by the OUR.
SERVICE DISRUPTION COMPLAINTS
Residents across the parishes raised concerns about inadequate services from utility providers.
Water supply issues: Communities such as Frontier in Port Maria, Fair Prospect in Portland, and Jack’s River in St Mary reported little to no water supply. Heywood Hall in St Mary also faced prolonged disruptions.
Richard Williams, NWC regional manager, assured Fair Prospect residents of imminent improvements but acknowledged that resource constraints are delaying repairs to the Jack’s River system.
Power outages: Frequent power disruptions in some communities drew apologies from JPS Parish Manager Le-Var Allen, who assured residents of ongoing work to resolve the issues.
Issues with Flow: A customer from Drapers, East Portland, voiced frustration over a three-month lack of landline, internet, and cable services from Flow, despite receiving bills totalling $7,000-$8,000 monthly.
“Will I get my money back?” she asked.
Flow’s Director of Customer Service, Sophia Morgan, promised a resolution and assured that affected customers would be reimbursed. She confirmed Flow’s policy to compensate customers for service disruptions lasting over 72 consecutive hours.