Approximately 3,000 residents of St Elizabeth are benefiting from the partnership that facilitated the purchase and delivery of two generators that have been installed at the National Water Commission (NWC) Newell and Little Park facilities in the parish.

The installation of the generators has significantly enhanced water service reliability for the residents of Newell, Beacon, Bluntas, Billy’s Bay, Great Bay, Old Wharf, Calabash Bay, Pedro Beach, Little Park and Sandy Bank.

Following the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 3, the BREDS Foundation rallied to assist several communities in St Elizabeth that were among the hardest-hit areas on the island.

Through the establishment of key partnerships with several private and public companies, more than US$152,000 or approximately $24 million was donated for the purchase and delivery of the two generators.

This was paramount, as with damage to the Jamaica Public Service Company system delaying the restoration of power, the generators were vital to the restoration of NWC pumps that distributed water to the communities.

The donors include BREDS Foundation, Global Empowerment Mission, NCB Foundation, American Friends of Jamaica, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Tourism Enhancement Fund and MycoMeditations.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, welcomed the partnership and lauded the partners for the undertaking. He was speaking at the signing ceremony for the BREDS Loan of Generators for NWC’s Newell and Little Park Facilities, at the ministry’s New Kingston offices on November 29.

“We are going to need partnerships; we are going to need help, and we accept this with open arms and we invite others to do the same, but we are not just asking for charity,” he said.

He said the Government will be investing $750 million to purchase generators as part of efforts to boost the country’s water-resilience efforts.

“$750 million is simply not going to do it; we’re going to need several more increments of $750 million to get to that point, but it is a start and it is to be noted that the country is in a position to start, which it was not in that position to start eight to 10 years ago. So, it is good that we have started, but it is good also that the private sector, NGOs—local and foreign have stepped up to also help us to build resilience,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Samuda reiterated that the Government is making major investments in the country’s water sector infrastructure. 

“We are investing at an unprecedented rate. The National Water Commission and Rural Water, collectively, are active in 74 capital projects, repairing lines, putting in storage, and changing old pumps,” he said.

For his part, Member of Parliament, St Elizabeth South Western, and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green, said the partnership, following the passage of the hurricane, played a pivotal role in providing the life-saving commodity to residents.

“All of them came together to solve what was a massive problem because people were complaining about electricity. Of course, people were complaining about not having roofs over their heads, but the fundamental cry that came right after Hurricane Beryl was ‘we need water’, because we say it time and time again, but in a crisis, you realise it’s true—water is truly life,” he said.

A representative from BREDs Foundation, Justine Henzell, thanked the donors, noting that their support impacted thousands of lives across Southern St Elizabeth. “Those generators now exist. When power goes off for an extended period of time, water does not, and that is a blessing, and we also thank NWC for getting this done,” she said.

NWC Regional Manager, St Elizabeth and Manchester, Jermaine Jackson, expressed appreciation for the assistance, which came at a critical period following the passage of the storm. “We will ensure that the proper maintenance for servicing and also critical to all of this, the protection, remains in place. So, on behalf of the NWC family and the customers, we would like to say thank you and may there be water for life,” he said.