Mayor begs for patience as St Bess residents struggle without electricity
WESTERN BUREAU:
While acknowledging the great misery being faced by residents since the passage of Hurricane Beryl six weeks ago, Black River Mayor Richard Solomon is urging residents in St Elizabeth who are still without electricity to continue to exercise patience, as he expects that their woes will soon be over.
St Elizabeth was the hardest hit of all the parishes impacted by Hurricane Beryl, which struck the island on July 3, causing billions of dollars in infrastructural and agricultural damage. Additionally, 38,000 Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers were left without electricity for almost an entire month.
While many communities are back on the electrical grid, approximately 10,000 residents are still without power and have had to be battling the summer heat, the darkness, and a massive invasion of mosquitoes, as they continue to await relief from their misery.
Solomon, who has taken a hands-on approach in pushing the JPS to get electricity back to the affected areas, is urging residents to continue to exercise patience amid their difficult situation.
“So, I say to the citizens of St Elizabeth that, while we continue to push and make representation on your behalf, the work continues, and I ask and crave for your patience,” said Solomon, who was present for yesterday’s JPS press conference at Bethlehem Moravian College in St Elizabeth. “It is no easy task, but I continue to appeal to you.”
Solomon noted that, based on the rewarding interactions he has had with Hugh Grant, president and chief executive officer at JPS, in a recent meeting where promises that were made were kept, he is confident that service will be restored within the latest timeline given by the JPS.
“Coming out of that meeting, I can safely say I am feeling more confident in the sort of commitment that we would have been given,” said Solomon. “Some commitments were made, and they were honoured, and we are still looking forward to a continued partnership as we try to get our library system back up.”
“It is a very challenging time. We would have been getting the concern right across the parish, and I continue to ask them to exercise a little more patience,” said Solomon, in responding to questions from the media.
While a restoration of electricity is now the main goal, Solomon says it only speaks to a part of the challenges as it relates to dislocation, as the livelihoods of many residents have been devastated, causing many persons to have to alter the way they go about their day.
“Economic lives would have been affected, so we understand the concerns. We know the heat and the mosquitoes are on us. So, citizens, we continue to appeal on your behalf while we partner with JPS,” said Solomon.