Generator powering parties in St Elizabeth

While still picking up the pieces following the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, life is still buzzing for St Elizabeth residents as promoters are powering their events with the use of standby generators.

Promoter of Santa ATI (Above The Influence) party, Olando Bryan, said this new trend has been employed by most promoters since Beryl devastated the parish but it's an added expense.

"In addition to the generators, you have to get more ice because by it touch certain time a night, ice done. So everything comes with a lot of overhead cost because even with the liquor [companies] recently raise up dem liquor prices," he said. "[But] even with all a dis, yuh affi still a think bout the patrons also [because] people have a lot going on their table right now, but they want to free their minds." He said that he is not looking to making a profit for this year's staging but to "break even [while] trying to keep the event flowing on a right vibe". The latest staging of his event is scheduled for the Number Two Transport Centre in Santa Cruz on August 6. Despite the challenges, Bryan said "the show must go on".

He calculated that persons who have generators may be spending $4,000 a day, or $28,000 a week, which affects their spending.

"Small business people on a whole in St Elizabeth like barbers, hairdressers, people who sell clothes, are all impacted. People ago start remix [repeat] their clothes now [and] the extra spending on clothes will be cut down," said Bryan who is also a clothes store owner.

"We as promoters who are having events like these, we have to cut the ticket costs also [despite] the prices [that] the police, JAMMS [Jamaica Music Society] a give we, a we haffi face it. We have to keep our fingers crossed that we're spending an extra amount of money and we do not know if we're going to capitalise or break even," he shared. Bryan also opined that persons do not want to party too far from their homes as certain areas of the parish are still without electricity, and there is a "fear of housebreakings if dem go far".

Promoter of the annual Backyard BBQ event, Kemar Blake, also spoke of major losses he has faced during this period. He said his party, which was held in Lacovia, also in St Elizabeth, on July 14, cost him more than he gained.

"Renting the generator was about $160,000 and because a lot of communities didn't have electricity and other persons still didn't get to attend the event, it wasn't beneficial," Blake said, even while expressing appreciation for those who made it. He noted that round robin and other party promoters in the area all resorted to generators to host their parties during that time.

The event was the first to be held in the area after the hurricane's passage, and he explained that he had to honour his commitment.

"We have a few brunches that we keep in July so each promoter keeps a brunch each Sunday for July so I have a Sunday, another promoter keep on a Sunday and so on going down to August. So if I had cancelled, I'd have to just put it off till next year," he said. Water and electricity supply returned to the community about a week ago but residents are still slowly rebuilding infrastructure and houses.