JPS commits to clearing power lines of vegetation in shorter time

With the hurricane season moving closer to August, where traditionally activities usually begin to ramp up on the high seas, the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is assuring the public that urgent complaints about trees and vegetation that are encroaching on power lines are responded to within an average of three hours or less in urban areas.

However, the light and power company said it was more difficult to hold it to a timeline for cutting trees in rural communities where its teams are faced with various challenges, including access to remote areas.

Blaine Jarrett, senior vice president of energy delivery at JPS, told journalists at a Gleaner Editors' Forum today that once a report is made of a threat to life or property, the JPS will respond.

Noting past incidents of persons being electrocuted after coming in contact with JPS lines while picking fruits, the light and power company said it has embarked on a blitz in urban centres and rural Jamaica to remove overhanging fruit trees from power lines.

The encroachment of fruit trees and vegetation on power lines is a longstanding problem and continues to be a concern for JPS, owing to a lack of enforcement of law and order on public roadways, according to Vernon Douglas, chief financial officer at the company.

“Sometimes persons maximise the space in their yard by planting trees that just conveniently spill over so that they can have more yard space,” Douglas said.

He contended that these trees are “viciously defended if JPS tries and cut it and only when it comes within half of an inch that it is viciously appreciated, and it doesn't work like that.”

According to Douglas, “It can't be that when the ackee bearing 'don't touch it' but when the ackee not bearing 'touch it'.”

He said that the authorities should take steps to enforce law and order and cut short the practice where persons continue to plant trees under JPS power lines.

Douglas observed that trees were planted in the public space that interact with utility services such as telephone and power lines in many instances.

President and CEO of JPS, Michel Gantois, pointed out that the company faces constraints in rural areas where teams from the JPS clear power lines on narrow roadways.

“There is a physical limit to the amount of work you can do per kilometre, plus what you see; sometimes people complaining or calling and when we go there it is a tree on their property,” said Gantois.

He said while there are many legitimate complaints, the JPS has to investigate at times, as some residents “want us to do the work for them”.

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