JPS reinstalls Orange Bay street lights

WESTERN BUREAU:

PEDESTRIANS AND motorists who utilise the Orange Bay to Negril roadway in Hanover have welcomed the move by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to replace street lights that were stolen months after they were placed along a two-kilometre stretch of that thoroughfare.

Eight of the 10 street lights, which were installed in March, were stolen by miscreants, three in October and five more in November.

And after missing two previous deadlines to replace the lights, the JPS replaced and energised all 10 lights on Thursday.

Councillor for the Green Island division in the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), Marvell Sewell, and JPS Senior Vice President for Energy Delivery Blaine Jarrett warned that more would be done to deter theft and catch the culprits responsible.

“The person or persons who are doing it understand what they are doing, it is no ordinary man in the street, it’s wickedness. Anyone doing it has no love for humanity, they are all for themselves,” Sewell told The Gleaner, adding that he has alerted public transport drivers and residents of the area to be vigilant and to report any sighting of someone tampering with the lights.

Lights, wires stolen before

Jarrett noted that while it is the duty of the JPS to ensure that the lights are in place and working, the regularity at which the lights are being tampered with is posing a challenge.

Over an eight-month period, JPS’s electrical wires have been stolen, transformers have been tampered with on two occasions and the eights street lights were stolen in the same area.

“We want to see the community spirit coming back wherein the community accepts the responsibility for and protects the infrastructure that serves them. If we can achieve that, I think we will be making some good progress, because the time and resources we spend in replacing lights and transformers that were previously installed, those same resources could be used to put in additional lights and allow other citizens to benefit,” Jarrett stated.

“ ... If we can get the support of the community, including the police, ... the councillors, ... the residents, to protect the community assets that are there, then we would be reaching somewhere,” he added.

One public passenger vehicle operator, who uses the Orange Bay to Negril roadway daily and did not wish to have his name published, expressed relief that the lights have been replaced, disclosing that he has experienced problems with his vehicle at night on more than one occasion in the area while the lights were functioning. He believes he was able to get assistance from passing motorists because the area was well lit.

“This area is so dark at nights and with what a gwaan now, nobody not stopping in the dark to help, neither man, woman nor pickney,” he stated.

bryan.miller@gleanerjm.com