OMAR Lewis, a mechanic of Dennis Avenue in Gregory Park, St Catherine found an innovative way to benefit from Hurricane Sandy last week. In the aftermath of the system when downed electricity poles and wires caused widespread power outages, he used his car battery to charge his neighbours' cell phones.

He made the connection via an inverter which converts 12D/C volts into 120A/C. Once hooked up to the battery, the inverter is plugged into an extension cord, and the phones plugged into that.

"From yesterday afternoon mi charge bout 50 phone," he told the Jamaica Observer Friday.

Lewis said he didn't charge his neighbors or persons he knew, but that strangers were required to pay $50 for the service.

"Mi jus ah help out," he said. "Mi jus ah gwaan keep di people dem energized, huh know."

Up to yesterday morning, electricity in Gregory Park had not yet been restored, but the Jamaica Public Service said that with the exception of the eastern parishes, the majority of its customers would receive light by today, Sunday.