BVIEC deploys local linesmen to assist the hurricane-hit Bahamas
Four Linesmen from the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) departed the territory on October 7 to assist with the restoration of electricity on Abaco Islands and the surrounding cays in the hurricane-ravaged Bahamas.
The quartet, which comprises team leader Trevor ‘West’ Stevens, Jason Clyne, Damien Richardson and Shaquil ‘Shack’ Samuel, will be in The Bahamas for some 30 days.
“They will be there for at least a month to a month-and-a-half assisting other utilities in the region in terms of restoring power on Abaco and the surrounding cays and restoring the residents of Abaco lives back to some state of normalcy,” the BVIEC General Manager Leroy Abraham told BVI News following the local linesmen’s departure.
Abraham said the BVIEC immediately committed the team following the devastation caused to The Bahamas by Hurricane Dorian but was awaiting the approval from the hurricane-hit country before sending the team.
“It was only last week — I think it was Friday — that we were informed from The Bahamas Power & Light Company that they were now in a position to receive linesmen because one of their challenges was finding adequate accommodation for the various teams that would be coming in from the region to assist with the electricity restoration on those islands following Hurricane Dorian,” Abraham stated.
He also reflected on the good deed done by the Bahamians electricity team back in 2017 following hurricanes Irma and Maria when they deployed a team in the territory to assist with the restoration of the BVI’s electricity grid.
Abraham said it was only fitting the corporation to return the favour.
This is the third time in the last five years that a team from the BVIEC has been sent to the Bahamas to lend assistance.
According to Abraham, a team was sent in 2014 following Hurricane Bertha and again in 2015 following Hurricane Kate.
“They will be there for at least a month to a month-and-a-half assisting other utilities in the region in terms of restoring power on Abaco and the surrounding cays and restoring the residents of Abaco lives back to some state of normalcy,” the BVIEC General Manager Leroy Abraham told BVI News following the local linesmen’s departure.
Abraham said the BVIEC immediately committed the team following the devastation caused to The Bahamas by Hurricane Dorian but was awaiting the approval from the hurricane-hit country before sending the team.
“It was only last week — I think it was Friday — that we were informed from The Bahamas Power & Light Company that they were now in a position to receive linesmen because one of their challenges was finding adequate accommodation for the various teams that would be coming in from the region to assist with the electricity restoration on those islands following Hurricane Dorian,” Abraham stated.
He also reflected on the good deed done by the Bahamians electricity team back in 2017 following hurricanes Irma and Maria when they deployed a team in the territory to assist with the restoration of the BVI’s electricity grid.
Abraham said it was only fitting the corporation to return the favour.
This is the third time in the last five years that a team from the BVIEC has been sent to the Bahamas to lend assistance.
According to Abraham, a team was sent in 2014 following Hurricane Bertha and again in 2015 following Hurricane Kate.
