Giving The Bahamas a hand up!

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew’s toll on the islands of The Bahamas, a four-man team from the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) has set out on a mission to help restore power and return the lives of hundreds back to normal.
According to reports the Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) is currently dealing with over one thousand damaged poles following the passage of last Thursday’s hurricane. www.weather.com said Matthew made landfall in Haiti and eastern Cuba on October 4 as a Category 4 hurricane, from there, it hammered the Bahamas on October 5-6 as a Category 3 and 4 hurricane. From then on, the southeastern United States was then hit hard by Hurricane Matthew as it moved very close to the coasts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Matthew made one official U.S. landfall on Oct. 8 southeast of McClellanville, South Carolina, as a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds.
On Wednesday 12th October 2016, following a request from the Bahamian Utility Company through the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), of which the BVIEC is a member, the contingent comprised of Foreman of Transmission and Distribution, Mr. Trevor Stevens; and Electrical Linesmen Messrs. Toriano King, Damien Richardson, and Ronald Baird left for the Matthew- battered territory.
The team is currently based in Nassau for a few weeks.
General Manager of BVIEC Leroy Abrahams said “Electricity is essential for life! There is no electricity, poles went down, so there is no refrigeration, no communication… it is more in terms of providing that kind of relief and returning these people’s lives to normalcy.”
Minister for Communications and Works, Honourable Mark Vanterpool noted that he is pleased that the territory can be of assistance to its Caribbean neighbors and are able to respond swiftly once again.
“I am confident that their efforts will bring relief. We should all keep them in our prayers for the remainder of the Hurricane Season.”
BVIEC also provided the manpower to The Bahamas when Hurricane Joaquin pounded that territory last October.
Despite being affected by hurricane Matthew, the Jamaica Public Service Company is also providing assistance, along with the Cayman Utilities Corporation.