Gov't urges OUR to take action against JPS over power restoration

By Clinton McGregor    

 

The Andrew Holness administration has called on the Office of Utilities Regulation to take action against the Jamaica Public Service Company for the delay in restoring electricity to communities in Central Jamaica following Hurricane Beryl.

 

Officials of the regulatory agency were at Monday's meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the crisis affecting JPS customers.

 

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz told Radio Jamaica News that the government does not have the legal authority exercise oversight or to force the light and power company to expedite its restoration programme.

 

He said the administration, which is being heavily criticised by JPS customers, is being unfairly blamed for the delays.

 

"I have done all that I can do, as far as being the minister responsible for energy. It is now up for the OUR to stand up, and be strong and demand answers from the JPS," he demanded. 

 

"When you see me going out and exerting my muscle, it is political muscle, not ministerial muscle, with the full support of the Jamaican people, that enough is enough, and that JPS should restore the 25,000 customers before the 12th of August. We're now going to Independence/Emancipation, and everybody in Jamaica wants restoration, normal restoration. They want their light, they want their water, they want their telecoms, and they want to enjoy the Olympics with full normality," he lamented.   

 

Mr. Vaz said Cabinet will soon issue a statement based on Monday's meeting, while he is to receive another report from the JPS on its restoration schedule.

 

He again rejected the August 12 timeline for full restoration given by the utility company.

 

"Three weeks into Beryl, and to come to me on Friday with the same workforce that has missed all the deadlines from week one, I have no confidence that they can finish within the 12th of August, and therefore we'll be going into the end of August, which is totally unacceptable to my government, and to me as minister," he said, as he maintained his call for the OUR "to step in, and do what you have the power to do, which is to regulate and [provide] oversight for JPS, which is lacking".  

 

Meanwhile, Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon called for the OUR to communicate more with the public on its handling of the concerns being raised about the performance of the JPS. 

 

She also urged the regulator hold the light and power company to account and assure Jamaicans that the structure of using an independent regulator actually works.  

 

Dr. Morris Dixon said the government has questioned whether the Jamaica Public Service Company's infrastructure could withstand the effects of a major hurricane.

 

Noting that the Hurricane Beryl "skimmed" Jamaica, she said the government is concerned about what would happen if they country gets a direct hit.   

 

"How soon can we get our country back up and running? And this is a concern for the government, and so we're thinking much more broadly in terms of how we can actually fix the system, so that if there is another hurricane, if there's another event, that we don't have persons spending such a long period with electricity," she said. 

 

Thousands of JPS customers remain without electricity nearly a month after Hurricane Beryl knocked out power and caused extensive damage to homes and other infrastructure along the south coast.

 

The power outage has also caused major disruption to the water supply in many communities.