By Glenroy Sinclair and Barbara Gayle, Staff ReportersA NUMBER of Government agencies were left in the dark for several hours yesterday when their electricity supplies were disconnected by the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), for nearly $69 million in outstanding bills.
Those affected include the Supreme and Family courts in downtown Kingston, the Elletson Road police complex and the traffic and repairs division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force at Swallowfield, St. Andrew.
However, but for the quick action of the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of National Security, in working out an arrangement with the JPS, the situation would have been far more embarrassing.
SERVICES RESTORED
"The services have been restored. We have worked out a mutual arrangement with the JPS," Gilbert Scott, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security told The Gleaner.
The JPS confirmed that the Government was able to come up with close to three quarters of the arrears, resulting in the electricity supplies being restored.
The company further explained that the disconnections were ordered only after the respective Ministries failed to deliver on their commitments to make payments on the accounts, even after warning letters had been sent to them.
The electricity at the Supreme Court was disconnected at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Monday, and resulted in the disruption of court proceedings yesterday. To further compound matters a new standby generator at the facility malfunctioned and was not activated until 11.30 a.m.
NO FLASHLIGHTS OR CANDLES
A number of police officers complained bitterly of the difficulty they had processing prisoners for court. "We have to search the prisoners , write up their cards and and we didn't even have flashlights or candles to aid us," one lawman noted.
Cases in chambers were also delayed due to the lack of proper ventilation. Information reaching The Gleaner is that the Supreme Court's electricity bill stands at $25 million.
The police, not to be outdone, owe a little over $20 million, $2.5 million of which is owed by the Elletson Road Police Complex which houses several police departments.
There are also reports that at least three traffic lights have been disconnected because the National Works Agency owes in excess of $5 million. A spokes persons at JPS said there is a list of traffic lights that are scheduled to be disconnected.
