KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Daryl Vaz, says the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is on track for full islandwide restoration of electricity by the end of January into early February.

He noted that 93 per cent of power has been reinstated following the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Vaz, who was addressing a recent post-Cabinet press briefing held at Jamaica House, informed that some 51,000 customers are without power.

Of the number, 30,000 are expected to be reconnected by the end of January into early February, while the remining 21,000 “are not ready to receive electricity, and the JPS cannot be held accountable”.

He said that the Government through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will identify these areas “and see how best we can target them in conjunction with JPS, to receive electricity”.

“So, we will be at 96 per cent by the end of January/early February, but if you take out those 21,000 that are not ready for connection… we would have succeeded in delivering on our commitment for early restoration by end of January/early February as against the last quarter of this year,” Vaz said.

Giving an update on the reinstatement of electricity in Westmoreland, he informed that the parish is at 51 per cent restoration up from 18 per cent in December.

“Westmoreland has 34,603 customers. The number of customers that are out [of power] at this time is 17,096, approximately 49 per cent of the customers,” he pointed out.

He noted that the eastern section of the parish will start to receive light between now and the end of January.

Minister Vaz said that the provision of a US$150-million loan to the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) by the Government last November has enabled the power company to engage more equipment and linesmen to speed up the restoration process.

— JIS