Calls on JPS to remove old pole in Morant Bay

Councillor for  Morant Bay in St Thomas, Rohan Bryan is renewing a call for the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to remove this, and other old utility poles in the town, which he says are public hazards to those who use the area.

This renewed call follows an incident on Queen Street, where yesterday, one of the poles in the area fell, almost hammering residents.

Though expressing gratitude that no one was hurt, Bryan noted that the incident could have been prevented if his earlier calls to remove the posts were addressed.

“It has been reported several times. I shared with JPS that there are two light posts in the area that are rotting at the base and that they are dangerous. Nothing happened and I reported it again. This time they said they sent someone to look at them and that new posts were erected but because of some wire situation they can’t move the old ones,” he said.

Bryan, who described the near freak accident as sad, shared that if it had happened on a business day, then persons would have been hurt.

“It’s a good thing it happened on a day like today (Sunday) when a lot of people not in Morant Bay or else this would have been a whole different story.

The other post needs to be moved as soon as possible because we might not be as lucky next time,” he said adding that the other defective pole is located on 4 Queen Street, yards away from the fallen post.

In its response, Media and Public Relations Manager at the JPS, Audrey Williams noted that the pole in question was replaced in early 2021 and all its wires.

She however shared that a request was made of other pole users, usually telecommunications and cable providers, to also remove their cables, as JPS is not permitted to handle their wires.

Sharing that this request was not met, Williams revealed that the unfortunate result brings into sharp focus a problem the agency has been faced with for years, with the use of their poles by third parties.

“JPS has continued to be in dialogue with these operators, and will be investigating to find out the last party who had cables left on the pole. Additionally, steps will be taken to ensure that parties are held accountable and that timely coordination for removal takes place,” she noted.

Continuing, Williams said, “We are grateful and relieved that no one was hurt, but in the same breath we are distraught that this situation happened in the first place. JPS anticipates increased coordination, so as to ensure the safety of all concerned.”

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