Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

The otherwise sleepy fishing community of Port Royal has become the first community in Jamaica to receive all-in-one Internet, cable television and telephone services.

In what telecommunications newcomers Flow refer to as 'triple-play', most of the residents were initially signing up for the Sauce television service. The Sauce network, which serves 22 communities in Kingston, was bought earlier this year by Flow's parent company Columbus Communications Limited, which is part-owned by billionaire Michael Lee-Chin.

"We usually move a little slower, we are not pressed," said Peter Gordon, Port Royal Community Learning Centre manager, about local interest in the Internet. Both the centre and Mr. Gordon will be upgrading from their existing dial-up connections to faster broadband connections provided by Flow.

Fireman Rayon Dawson, from a household of seven, was one resident signing up for his first Internet connection.

"I'm going to start with a basic connection (10 hours per month) and try it out. It's going to have a positive effect on my life," said Mr. Dawson who said he would be using it for research and downloading new software and music.