Trinidad and Tobago is spending more than $2 million to help Jamaica restore electricity following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath noted that an engineering team has already been in Jamaica for the past two weeks, working alongside the Jamaican government.
On Monday, he sent off a second contingent of T&TEC workers to continue the relief efforts.
Speaking to the group at the Piarco International Airport, he highlighted the challenges faced on the ground, detailing the areas most affected and the support being sent by T&TEC.
“The data coming out of Jamaica tells us that there are specific areas, particularly in the Montego Bay area, where there are large swathes of the country that have not been able to restore their power supply. And therefore we send a 25-member team from T&TEC selected from the various areas throughout the company that would provide the level of support that is needed.”
Minister Padarath highlighted the severity of the situation in Jamaica, noting that 55% the island remains without electricity and that Prime Minister Andrew Holness had called on CARICOM for support.
“With an expenditure of $2.24 million, the employees of T&TEC will stay in Jamaica for at least 30 days in the first instance as they travel this morning knowing that that is an injection of $2.24 million well spent.”
The Public Utilities Minister noted that 12 containers packed with food supplies and other essentials were already sent to the island.
“Several containers have already landed in Jamaica as of about a week ago and corporate Trinidad and Tobago, partnering with the government, have really ensured that they heeded that call that the Honourable Prime Minister has made to ensure that we get supplies into Jamaica.”
Minister Padarath indicated another challenge in Jamaica at present is the lack of food on supermarket shelves across the country.