Ahead of his contribution to the Sectoral Debates in the House of Representatives tomorrow, Opposition Spokesperson for Energy and Telecommunications, Phillip Paulwell marks a personal milestone while paying tribute to the workers who rebuilt Jamaica’s electricity network after Hurricane Melissa. 

Paulwell, Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal, notes that God’s willing, he will have served his constituency for 29 years and 10 months by October of this year, surpassing the record of the late Sir Florizel Glasspole, the longest-serving Member of Parliament for that constituency, who served for 29 years and 9 months. Reflecting on his tenure, Paulwell stated, “Every one of those months has been in service to the people of East Kingston and Port Royal. People who know, as I know, that when I win, they win.”

The Member of Parliament is also issuing an urgent plea on behalf of thousands of Jamaicans who have been without power since October of last year. He is calling upon the Office of Utilities Regulation to enforce guaranteed service standards rigorously and to examine whether a consumer compensation mechanism can be introduced for credits lost as a result of service failures.

Notwithstanding the lengthy delay in service restoration, the Member of Parliament explicitly credits JPS field workers for their response to Hurricane Melissa, acknowledging a marked improvement on the company’s performance following Hurricane Beryl. 

Tomorrow, Mr Paulwell intends to draw the attention of Parliament and the nation to the restoration work that remains incomplete. “There remain too many households and businesses in Westmoreland and elsewhere still without electricity. I make a direct and heartfelt plea: restore their service without further delay”, said Paulwell.