Street light for Christmas, JPS?
Dear Editor,
The following is an open letter to Michel Gantois, president & CEO, Jamaica Public Service:
As we approach the festive season, and families prepare to celebrate with each other, we are yet to have the issue of defective street lights resolved.
On behalf of the constituents of Kingston and St Andrew, and in particular those of the Vineyard Town Division, I would like to implore the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to take us out of this long-standing darkness.
Christmas in Jamaica is usually filled with fun and excitement. However, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the usual fun and excitement associated with the season will have been drastically curtailed. Public gatherings have been restricted; therefore, most people will have to find enjoyment within the confines of their home.
Nonetheless, safety and security are among everyone’s priorities, especially at this time of year. The absence of functioning street lights in some communities results in reduced visibility in those areas and may also provide cover for criminals to carry out their activities. This reduced visibility may also present a challenge to proper policing activities.
At the monthly council meeting in May 2019 I moved a resolution asking the JPS to conduct bi-yearly audits of functioning street lights, as well as to effect the necessary repairs. This resolution received much support from other councillors, some of whom have similar experiences in their divisions.
Another issue is the time it takes for JPS to repair a street light after being notified. Despite the promise to have these repairs effected within 15 working days of receiving the report, sometimes it takes several weeks, months, and sometimes over a year. This has been the case for some parts of Nannyville and Stadium Gardens.
As councillor for the Vineyard Town Division I have made several attempts to have the JPS address the concerns of the constituents. I remain committed to the effective and efficient representation of my constituents and will continue to appeal to the JPS to address these concerns.
That said, we are not impractical, and we know it may not be possible to repair all the street lights within the municipality at this time. I am, however, urging you to at least repair those in the most critical and vulnerable areas. Please help us to have a merry Christmas by giving us one less thing to worry about.