Belize Sends Aid to Jamaica: BEL Linesmen Assist Post-Hurricane Recovery

The Government of Jamaica has requested aid from Belize via linesmen from Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) to assist with its recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl. The storm left major infrastructural damage in its wake, and some areas on the island nation are still without power. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness says that the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has been trying to muster up the manpower for the recovery efforts in various ways, including engaging former employees.

Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica: “In addition the company is currently engaging CARIELEC that its he Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation to provide support resources in the coming days. We should be getting line workers from countries such as Belize and Cayman will help JPS to address the outage pockets that exist within the island. Power has been restored to all major hospitals and restoration to critical NWC sites is approximately 81% complete as of July 16. I’m pleased to report that power has been restored to approximately 49% of customers in St.Elizabeth. Key areas restored include sections of Black River, Junction, Alligator Pond, Santa Cruz, Silo, Lacovia, Eldersly and Top Hill. The JPS has indicated that they are targeting the week ending August 10th for full restoration islandwide. We need to moderate the expectations of immediate return because there are some challenges that we need to account for when we are building out our expectation for the return of electricity. For example if it rains the linemen will not be able to work so they may lose a day or two. There are poles in certain locations which are unsafe to treat with so they may have to realign poles because of land slippage, broken infrastructure that makes it more difficult.” 

Hurricane Beryl hit the southern coast of Jamaica on July 3, as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of a hundred and thirty miles per hour.