KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Government is contemplating introducing legislation that will protect what it deems to be “critical infrastructure” that is routinely damaged or stolen by unscrupulous individuals, to the detriment of entire communities.

Such infrastructure includes generators, batteries, fuel and copper cables that are frequently removed, leaving communities and businesses without internet and telephone services.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness spoke to the issue during a ministerial statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where he updated the nation on the Government’s recovery efforts, following the passage of Hurricane Beryl that impacted the island on July 3.

He has tasked the Minister of Telecommunications, Daryl Vaz, and National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, to “very quickly bring the legislation to Parliament regarding the protection of certain infrastructure that we declare as critical”.

“Bring that legislation to Parliament because we cannot have these critical infrastructure being preyed upon…” Holness emphasised.

He noted that it was a small number of perpetrators “who will make it their business to go and steal fuel from the generators that power the back-up service for the repeaters that give all of us connectivity – online service, telephone, internet”.

The prime minister said the situation has “gotten worse because they’re stealing the batteries, and stealing the generators themselves. We must call it out because there are communities where the people know who’s doing it”.

“It is no different from the goat thief. It is no different from the people who steal the copper wires. They put the economy of the local farmer at risk. They put our telecommunication service which gives us our security and access at risk,” the prime minister argued.

He said some individuals may not be aware of the serious consequences of their actions but declared that to be “no excuse”.

Holness told the House that the telecommunications companies have indicated that their systems should have been far more resilient during and after the hurricane and individuals would not have been cut off as they had taken the precautionary measure to refuel before the hurricane.

“On the day of refuelling or shortly thereafter, they’re seeing their censors saying that the fuel is gone,” said Holness.

Describing the situation as despicable, the prime minister said that given the circumstances, it was important that Jamaicans understand that it’s not incompetence or lack of care (on the part of telecom providers).

“It’s sometimes the very people who’re in your community that does it,” he said.