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Tivoli Gardens residents are rushing to take up the offer from the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd (JPS) to regularise their electricity supply.

For years, hundreds of residents of Tivoli have failed to pay for the service.

But with the recent moves to regularise operations in the west Kingston community, the JPS has started the installation of an anti-theft system in the community.

The company has also offered residents the chance to become regularised at a reduced cost.

Since last week, the JPS has been in the community pro-cessing residents for the new system. By midday yesterday, almost 600 people had been processed.

A fresh start

"They are happy that the JPS is in to wire their houses and provide house-wiring assistance," Marlene McDonald-Watson, customer care manager and revenue controller, told The Gleaner.

"We are giving them payment arrangements on back debts and it is going good so far," said McDonald-Watson, who was leading the JPS team in Tivoli yesterday, giving residents the chance to sign up for the new system.

She said the system should be up and running by month end.

"The backbone of the system is already up, so all that needs to happen is to run a wire from the system to each house," added Craig Francis, the JPS project manager in Tivoli Gardens.

Late last month, the JPS announced that it has started the installation of the Residential Automated Metering System (RAMI) in the west Kingston community.

Reduce theft

"The RAMI will significantly reduce opportunities for electricity theft, as it will involve the elimination of existing low-voltage power lines," the JPS said at the time.

"Additionally, the system will involve the relocation of meters to secure meter boxes mounted on poles to prevent meter tampering. Householders will be provided with individual digital display units, which will give information on their usage," the JPS said.

The company said this was part of a $1.2-billion programme being implemented this year to address the problem of electricity theft across the island.

Over the last few months, the company has installed anti-theft systems in Seaview Gardens, Kingston; Retirement and Hurlock, Montego Bay; and Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine.