OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Councillor Kaydian Harty (People’s National Party, Claremont Division) is urging the National Water Commission (NWC) to reduce its reliance on Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company Ltd in order to minimise disruption to the water supply when there is loss of electricity because of a natural disaster such as Hurricane Melissa.

“I would think that after [Jamaica was last year brushed by Hurricane] Beryl, some measures of contingency would have been in place to serve the people of the parish. The NWC has said that they are solely dependent on JPS to operate. I’m going to quote the former minister of social security and former member of parliament for Northeast St Ann, Shahine Robinson, to say that NWC is an inept and inefficient organisation. It is sad that at this point, and so many years later, I have to agree with her,” Harty seethed.

She expressed concern about the possibility of an outbreak of diseases, saying, “My residents are deprived of water and it is unacceptable — and very soon we are going to be facing a public health crisis in the parish.”

Harty was speaking during last Thursday’s regular monthly meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation.

However, the Government has often spoken of long-term plans and efforts being made for the NWC to use alternative sources of energy. In fact, during the May 27, 2025 commissioning of the $81.5-million Forest Hill Solar Park, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness commended the NWC’s leadership in incorporating renewables into its operations, and highlighted the need to look at other types of alternative power sources.

“We are making massive investments in solar, we are making investments in wind. We need to now start to consider investments in hydro, in geothermal — we need to explore all the renewables,” Holness stated then.

During Thursday’s municipal corporation meeting Harty flayed the NWC for what she perceived as its failure to bounce back after Hurricane Melissa which crippled utility services in St Ann, St James, Hanover, Trelawny, and St Elizabeth. Progress has been made in many areas but the councillor called for a lot more to be done.

“Only the schools, health centres, and police stations have water, but the wider community is without. The responsibility is now on the councillor and member of parliament to provide potable water to the people,” she argued.

“Even in my sleep my phone is ringing for water because people are deprived — and they are paying NWC customers,” Harty added.

She also appealed for attention to be given to the police station in Claremont which is still without electricity.

“When I pass the Claremont Police Station the officers have to be using their phone lights. So the officers that are supposed to keep us safe are left vulnerable. I hear the prime minister said he will be loaning generators; I am asking that one be given to the Claremont Police Station,” the local representative urged.

— Akera Davis