Almost 3 mths after Hurricane Irma, North Sound & 95% of JVD without power
Almost three months after the powerful category 5 Hurricane Irma destroyed the VI on Wednesday September 6, 2017 leaving death, homelessness and the infrastructure smashed, many residents of the sister islands and cays are still without electricity.
As of today, Tuesday November 28, 2017 there is not even one house on North Sound in Virgin Gorda that has power. In addition, on the sister island of Jost van Dyke the story is about the same, with less than 5% of the residents with electricity.
While the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) has come in for some very well deserved praise for their hard work and commitment, their work is slow, as they are required to build back almost an entire feeder and electrical system.
Damage to BVIEC’s electrical grid is extensive
In some communities on all the islands, every single electrical pole was affected by the powerful winds of Hurricane Irma then after Maria, resulting in poles and lines being down, broken up or rooted out of the ground and street lights destroyed.
Many residents continue to suffer having to purchase gasoline and diesel for generators on a daily basis, as the Corporation struggles with obtaining adequate material, manpower and financing for the costly operations.
Notwithstanding, many areas on Tortola, Valley, Virgin Gorda and Anegada have pockets of electricity, but the sister island of Jost van Dyke and North Sound continue to suffer hardship.
Many persons from North Sound, Virgin Gorda and Jost van Dyke have called our newsroom to complain about the undue struggle.
It’s not easy, but by Christmas 2017- Abraham
General Manager (GM) of the BVI Electricity Corporation Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham, when contacted, confirmed that North Sound and most of Jost van Dyke remain without electricity.
He stated that “in both cases the main feeders have to be reconstructed.” When asked when residents and businesses in those areas can expect power back, the GM responded that “I cannot guarantee a date, but approximately before Christmas 2017.”
One resident living in North Sound alleged that their Representative Dr The Honourable Hubert O’Neal (R9) should be “beating on the Minister of Works to ensure that we get power as soon as possible, but you know we have no voice…”
There have been some eight countries on the ground to help restore power in the Territory following hurricanes Irma and Maria. The countries and utility organisations represented are Aruba, Grenada, Belize, St Vincent, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, St Lucia and Valard from Canada.
Who you know?
There are also isolated reports on Tortola that in certain areas electricity is being restored to friends and family of Corporation employees, politicians and others with “connections”; however, our newsroom could not confirm these allegations.
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