JAMAICA-Jamaica will get CARICOM assistance in restoring electricity.

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KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have indicated a willingness to assist Jamaica in restoring electricity to areas badly affected by the passage of Hurricane Beryl earlier this month, Energy Minister Daryl Vaz said Wednesday.

“I had a discussion on Monday morning…with the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) management team where I insisted that the time has come for external assistance based on the suffering of the Jamaican people, based on the gaps that exist in the supply across every parish,” Vaz told the weekly Cabinet post press conference.

He said, aside from the more challenging hit areas, “The fact is today would be three weeks since Beryl passed, and we still have a significant number of persons without electricity and, of course, some without light.

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

“I can confirm that Belize and Suriname have agreed to send persons and also Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana,” Vaz said, adding that he held discussions on Wednesday with the Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, “for which I asked her to please reach out to all of our brother and sister countries to see what assistance can be given in the shortest possible time. Watch video

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

The Energy Minister said that excluding St Elizabeth, 55,000 customers were without electricity up to Sunday. This was cut to 35,960 by Monday and is expected to further reduce to 27,455 by Friday.

Earlier, Vaz told reporters that the JPS had completed its assessment of the damage and that 94 transmissions had been damaged. He said 2,602 light poles had been damaged, 4 287 conductors had been damaged, and 137 transformers had been damaged.

In addition, he said JPS had reported 2 185 other transmission and distribution equipment damaged.

“So the JPS suffered significant infrastructure damage with the passing of Beryl, all island. The good news is, or the question that would come after is whether they can afford to fix it, and the answer is yes”.

Vaz said that based on previous hurricane experiences and the difficulties of securing insurance for JPS assets, the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) had approved a change in the electricity rates that go to the Electricity Disaster Fund, which can be used immediately to fund recovery after a disaster such as Hurricane Beryl.

He said the fund currently has an accumulated amount of US$50 million and that JPS will be allowed to draw down on the fund for its recovery.

“The OUR had approved a drawdown of five million US dollars before the hurricane to help fund the preparations for the hurricane season,” he told reporters.

Download video – Daryl Vaz on electricity situation in Jamaica and help from CARICOM

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