BVIEC workers help out in Bahamas

Electricity was recently restored to residents in the Coopers Town area of northern Abaco Island in the Bahamas for the first time since the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian devastated the area in early September, according to the BVI Electricity Corporation, which sent four workers to assist with the restoration effort.

The BVIEC team has been working alongside utility teams from Antigua, Belize and Cayman to rebuild the electricity network in the northern part of Abaco from Coopers Town to Crown Haven, BVIEC General Manager Leroy Abraham said.

By the evening of Nov. 3, he said, the electricity was partially restored to those communities due to a newly installed temporary generator and the work performed by the disaster assistance linesmen in re-erecting poles and lines.

“Based on reports from Bahamas Power and Light, the central part of Abaco was the area most devastated by hurricane Dorian, and it may take an additional eight to ten months from now to rebuild the electricity grid from the south of the island where the power station is located to supply those communities in the north,” Mr. Abraham said on Nov. 6. “Over the next few days, the teams’ focus will be continuing restoring power to those residents in northern Abaco, which will provide much needed relief and return their lives to some semblance of normalcy.”

The VI team is led by Trevor “West” Stevens and includes Jason Clyne, Damien Richardson and Shaquil “Shack” Samuel, according to the BVIEC.

This is the third time in the past five years that a BVIEC team has been sent to the Bahamas to lend assistance: A team was sent in 2015 following Hurricane Joaquin and another was sent in 2016 following Hurricane Matthew, Mr. Abraham said.

Premier Andrew Fahie thanked the workers and the general manager.

“The hurricane season is not yet behind us and I am asking all of us, not just in the BVI but throughout the Caribbean region and the American mainland, to remain in a state of preparedness, because year after year we are learning that we have to expect the unexpected,” Mr. Fahie said.