JPS boss sidesteps questions about additional funding for power restoration

 

President and Chief Executive Office of the Jamaica Public Service Company, Hugh Grant, has declined to address questions surrounding the additional funding that will be needed to restore service to customers.

 

The government has loaned the JPS US$150 million of the $350 million it said it required for full restoration.

 

The opposition has questioned whether the JPS will be able to secure funding for the balance of US$200 million.

 

But, speaking with the media at Sangster International Airport in St. James on Wednesday evening, Mr. Grant said the focus at this time is on the restoration of electricity to communities. 

 

"At this time, we are focused on resources coming in and safely executing on the restoration. I'm not going to go ahead and speak to funding at this time," he said. 

 

Mr. Grant and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz were at the airport to welcome a team of 117 electrical linesmen from Canada. 

 

The linesmen will bolster the efforts to restore electricity in western parishes. 

 

This is the third arrival of overseas utility workers within two days, pushing the total number of foreign linesmen deployed so far to approximately 228, surpassing the initial projection of 200 under the planned 300-person mobilisation. 

 

Mr. Grant noted that while the Canadian crews arrived without specialised vehicles, they

came fully equipped with tools, and will begin work immediately, particularly in hard-to-access

areas.

 

"Those are on vessels expected to get here on the 24th and the 25th as the minister said, but they came with their tools and we have a plan in place to utilise them to climb poles and to still be efficient and effective, particularly in some areas where we have limited access in terms of some of the larger vehicles," he outlined.

 

Meanwhile, the Energy Minister said additional linesmen are scheduled to arrive in the island next week, boosting the total number of linesmen in the country to 300. 

 

Mr. Vaz said the Jamaica Public Service is living up to its commitment based on the funding agreement between the company and the government.

 

"I'm a bit disappointed, but understanding we're the Christmas season, the logistics of coordinating and getting everything done, still has been done in record time. We only got cabinet approval, two Mondays ago, and JPS only got their approval from the airport last week. So to be in this position tonight is huge and it is a recommitment of us being able to give the people light - some by Christmas, some by New Year and the majority by middle of January to end of January," he promised.