Dear Editor,

Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s recent announcement that Jamaica will explore placing parts of our national power grid underground is both timely and visionary.

Hurricane Melissa exposed the fragility of our overhead transmission lines, and this directive signals a commitment to resilience and modernisation.

If we explore why most power lines aren’t underground we will find that the decision is not without challenges. Globally, overhead lines dominate because they are cheaper to instal, easier to repair, and less disruptive to maintain. Underground systems, while more resilient to wind and storm damage, come with higher upfront costs, complex installation requirements, and vulnerability to flooding. These realities must be carefully considered as Jamaica moves forward.

In our local context, the trade-offs are particularly sharp. Our island’s exposure to hurricanes makes undergrounding attractive, as fewer toppled poles and tangled wires would mean faster recovery for communities. Yet Jamaica’s heavy rainfall and poor drainage in some areas could make underground cables susceptible to water damage. Fiscal realities also demand balance. While nationwide undergrounding may be unrealistic, targeting high-value corridors, such as Montego Bay’s Elegant Corridor, is a smart compromise that protects tourism and economic activity.

To date, however, several communities in southern Trelawny, including Lorrimers, Litchfield, Wait-a-Bit, Thompson Town, and Stettin remain without electricity. For residents, the drawbacks are severe: Children are unable to study at night, businesses struggle to operate, and families face daily hardships without refrigeration, lighting, or reliable communication. These realities underscore the urgency of building a more resilient grid.

Equity, however, must guide this process. Rural communities, often hardest hit by outages, should not be left behind. Pilot projects must eventually expand beyond tourist zones to ensure fairness and national benefit. The prime minister’s directive is, therefore, best seen as a hybrid approach, undergrounding in select, economically vital areas while continuing to strengthen overhead infrastructure elsewhere. This acknowledges both the lessons of Hurricane Melissa and the realities highlighted in global debates.

As Jamaicans, we must embrace this as part of a broader conversation about climate resilience, infrastructure investment, and national priorities. The cost will be high, but the cost of inaction, measured in lost productivity, disrupted education, and damaged livelihoods, may be far greater.

Leecent Wallace

Principal of Christiana High School

leecentw@yahoo.com