CARICOM countries to assist Ja with electricity restoration efforts, more help being sought

Several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states have agreed to send personnel to Jamaica to assist in the restoration of power to badly affected areas in southern St Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon.

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz gave the update at Wednesday's post-Cabinet press briefing, noting that it is unacceptable for communities in those parishes to enter a third week in the dark.

Sections of Jamaica remain without power since the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 3.

“I had a discussion with the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) management team where I insisted that the time has come for external assistance base on the suffering of the Jamaican people, based on the gaps that exist in the supply across every parish,” said Vaz.

He said aside from badly affected communities, there remains a significant number of households without electricity.

He said external local contractors from the bauxite industry have been assigned to Hanover and St Elizabeth while support has been requested from Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC).

He said Belize, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana have agreed to send personnel to assist with restoration efforts while foreign affairs minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has been asked to lobby the wider region for support.

“The time has come for external assistance so that whatever is outstanding can be done in the shortest possible time,” said Vaz.

He said excluding St Elizabeth, up to Sunday, 55,000 customers were without electricity.

This was cut to 35,960 by Monday and is expected to further reduce to 27,455 by Friday.

- Kimone Francis 

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