A Cayman tech firm has delivered satellite equipment to hurricane-hit Jamaica to help people in cut-off rural areas reconnect to the outside world and contact worried friends and family.
The news came as Caribbean Utilities Company sent a team to help restore Jamaica’s electricity supply as it battles back from the havoc wreaked last month by Hurricane Melissa.
Rob Eyers, of George Town’s Unified Tech, said he and Annando Salmon, originally from Jamaica, had flown to that country on Sunday with seven Starlink satellite communications dishes and rechargeable battery arrays to help restore contact and assist aid efforts.
Eyers said he and Salmon were also both also serving in the Cayman Islands Regiment and their training had helped them assess the situation on the ground.
He said many people were still unable to contact friends and family to reassure them they had not been killed or injured.
“The idea is people can get connected completely off the grid for up to 10 hours before recharging the batteries with a generator,” Eyers, also the co-owner of Camana Bay’s Cask whisky bar, said.
Two of the links have been deployed in rural areas. with one in Albert Town in Trelawny Parish and the other in Grange Hill in Westmoreland Parish.
Others have been given to clients of the Cayman tech firm, including a medical supplies company, to help them transport the right products and equipment to areas most in need.
The Heart Trust/NSTA, a Jamaican government-backed vocational training programme that had lost many of its sites to the hurricane, was also given Starlink equipment to help students get back to their studies.
Unified Tech will also fund the Starlink internet connection fees for several months as the country slowly returns to normality.
“Our seven Starlinks are just a drop in the ocean, but we wanted to find a way to have an impact, help some of our clients and get aid directly to people,” Eyers said.
‘Struggles’
He added he was inspired to help after having been through major storms himself and visiting Jamaica on business.
“You see the struggles people face. You feel the human aspect of it, and I have a lot of friends, especially through the regiment, who have family in Jamaica,” Eyers said.
“It’s important to be a positive member of the community and we do business in Jamaica.”
CUC, a member of the mutual aid Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation (CARILEC), has deployed an 11-strong squad to Jamaica, including powerline technicians, who will spend more than a month helping to restore power supplies.
The CUC team, which left on 11 Nov., has also taken two bucket trucks and a digger, as well as utility poles, to help repair wrecked power networks.
Richard Hew, president and CEO of CUC, said, “We are honoured to contribute to Jamaica’s recovery during this critical time and deeply proud of our team members for their selfless commitment to helping others in need in very difficult conditions.”
Hew thanked Cayman Airways, which pitched in to cover airline tickets and baggage charges for the CUC team, as well as Seaboard Marine and the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing for their help with shipping equipment.
Fabian Whorms, the airline’s president and CEO, said, “At Cayman Airways we recognise the vital role that regional partnerships play in helping our Caribbean neighbours recover and rebuild after being devastated by major hurricanes.
“Having been the first airline to land in Kingston with relief aid following Hurricane Melissa, we remain committed to contributing to Jamaica’s recovery through partnerships with companies like CUC, who we commend for sending a team of experts from Cayman to assist with restoring electricity in Jamaica’s communities.”
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