Great progress in the restoration of power across Jamaica!
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has successfully restored electricity to over 45 percent of its customers throughout the island. This is particularly evident in Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, and St Thomas, with additional customers in Trelawny and St James set to regain power early today.
Overall, more than 315,000 customers, which represents 45 percent of the total customer base, now have access to electricity.
Efforts to restore power to the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, St Thomas, St Mary, Portland, Trelawny, St James, St Ann, and Manchester will continue today.
Notable areas where power has been restored include:
St Thomas: Morant Bay, Church Corner, Sections of Retreat, White Horses, White Hall, Pondside, sections of Yallahs, Belfast, Friendship, Belvedere, Pamphret, Princess Margaret Hospital
Kingston and St Andrew: Sections of Waltham Park, Bull Bay, Waterhouse, Sections of Arnold Road, Mountain View, Port Royal, Harbour View, Sections of Cherry Gardens, Barbican, Norbrook, Long Lane, Stillwell Road, Stony Hill, Sections of Temple Hall, Jacks Hill, East Kings House Road, Graham Heights, Constant Spring, Havendale, Old Hope Road, Queen Hill, Duhaney Park, Sections of Mona, Beverly Hills, Long Mountain, Manor Park, Waterworks, Lakehurst, Armour Heights, Shortwood Road
St Catherine: Sections of Greater Portmore, Braeton, Westport, Bridgeport, Edgewater, and surrounding areas; Caribbean Estates, Sections of De la Vega City, Sections of Spanish Town, Eltham, St. John’s Road, Job Lane, Beacon Hill, St. Jago Heights, Thompson Pen, Sligoville, Waterloo District, Greendale, Spanish Town Hospital
St James: Sections of Bogue, Queens Drive and surrounding areas, Cornwall Regional Hospital, Sangster International Airport.
Jamaica Utilizes Domestic Funds for Hurricane Recovery Efforts.
No payout for Jamaica from the CAT bond.
The Jamaican Finance Minister announced that money from the Contingency Fund and the Natural Disaster Fund will finance recovery efforts after Hurricane Beryl. The government has a multi-layered financial plan to help the country deal with natural disasters.
Although Hurricane Beryl caused significant damage in some areas, Jamaica was fortunate that it did not make landfall. The government has funds set aside for emergency response and recovery, which will amount to $4.5 billion. If this is not enough, other funding sources, such as a claim with the IDB, may also be used.
Jamaica also has insurance with the Caribbean Catastrophe Reinsurance Facility, which may be triggered. There is a possibility of payouts from the tropical cyclone policy, but it is still being assessed. Jamaica can also seek financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if needed.
The government is taking proactive measures to ensure that it can finance the emergency response and recovery required after the hurricane.
Two individuals were fatally shot within minutes of each other in Greenwich Farm.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Following the impact of Hurricane Beryl and the subsequent lifting of the islandwide curfew on Thursday morning, July 4, 2024, tragedy struck as two individuals were fatally shot in the Greenwich Farm area of Kingston.
The victims, known only by their aliases “Benjy” and “Bossie,” fell victim to unknown assailants in separate attacks within close proximity. According to the Observer Online, Benjy was gunned down at the intersection of Fifth Street and First Avenue around 10:30 a.m., while less than an hour later and just 50 meters away, Bossie suffered a similar fate.
The police, faced with this harrowing situation, are currently unable to confirm if the two incidents are connected. However, they did disclose that an entrenched dispute between rival gangs is ongoing in the community.