MANDEVILLE, Manchester — There was immense joy in Bombay square on Monday as residents, educators and politicians welcomed the launch of a Wi-Fi hot spot, which one resident said has placed the community on the map.

Bombay is located in the northern section of Manchester close to better known community of Bellefield.

Custos of Manchester Garfield Green, Manchester Central Member of Parliament Rhoda Moy Crawford, councillor for the Bellefield Division Mario Mitchell, CEO of the Universal Service Fund (USF) Daniel Dawes and principal of the Bellefield High School Paul Grant and Bombay resident Paulette McKenzie-Smikle were among those who spoke of the benefits the Wi-Fi hot spot will bring.

McKenzie-Smikle said the commissioning of the free access to Internet service for the community was a “special commodity”.

“We are glad and we are happy to know that we are on the map,” she said.

“It is indeed a privilege to witness such a great and profound initiative, something that we have not seen before. I remember on Saturday somebody coming into this area and saying ‘we have Wi-Fi’… We are hoping that his community will take care of this special commodity,” added McKenzie-Smikle.

The USF head Dawes said the rapid pace of Wi-Fi hot spots being made available by the Government is historic.

“The Government over the years has always provided roads, water, electricity, schools and other commodities, but for the first time in the history of this country we are being provided with free Internet for the people,” said Dawes.

He commended Crawford for lobbying for the installation of the Wi-Fi hot spot, which has an estimated cost of $7.5 million and will benefit residents of the community including students who have been without Internet access.

“We understand what was happening in terms of this major pandemic, the country and the world has been experiencing. Students weren’t able to go to school for almost two years and then the bother of the online classes,” said Dawes.

“We know that in many instances, our students, although they had devices, could not afford to provide the data bundle,” added Dawes.

For the educator Grant because of the lack of Internet access in the area many of the students were not registered in school.

“This is a new day, and so come January morning, we expect the students who are not logging in, who are in the Bombay and Allison areas that we need to you on the Google platform come Monday morning, January 3, 2022,” declared Grant.

“No longer is there any excuse. The complaint was that there was no Internet and now there is Internet, so what next will be your excuse? added Grant

Crawford, who represents the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, said the development will ease the many online challenges previously faced by residents.

“This development could not come at a more opportune time, when much of our activities have been shifted to online platforms. I know how difficult it has been for many of us to access Wi-Fi for school, work, business and recreation. I know that this project will significantly ease the burdens of many,” she said.

Councillor Mitchell (People’s National Party) lauded Crawford for successfully advocating for the Internet connectivity in Bombay, which he said he lobbied for in 2019.

“I want to commend the madam MP for following through with that and ensuring that the people get the service of WI-FI connectivity,” he said.

Dawes said under the instructions of Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz, who has oversight of the USF, each constituency is to be outfitted with three WI-FI hot spots.

He added the other two communities to benefit in Manchester Central are Elgin (near Knockpatrick and Broadleaf (near Royal Flat).

In his address Custos Green argued that the access to the Internet is intrinsic to development of “our people and our society”.

“This commission of this Wi-Fi service means empowerment for education and socio-economic growth and development for the people in this section of Manchester,” said Green.