JPS Donates more than J$1 Million in Relief Items to Southern Clarendon Communities

More than J$1 million in relief items were given to residents of the Portland Cottage and Rocky Point communities in Southern Clarendon by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) and several partners including the Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP), Wakefield Industries, General Paintings and CMK Bakery Limited, as well as private individuals.
Four hundred and twenty students from the Portland Cottage Primary School and 280 students from the Salt Savannah Primary School in Rocky Point received stationery packages including notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, rulers and pencil cases, while almost 200 of the worst affected residents received packages of food items and toiletries including rice, flour, cornmeal, sugar, peas, canned meat, milk-powder, bleach, soap and toothpaste.
The donations were made on Tuesday, October 5 at the schools and shelters in the respective communities. Speaking at the handing over, Senior Vice President of Generation at JPS, Robert Patrick explained that the donation was aimed at restoring hope to the affected communities after Hurricane Ivan.
“I really believe that it is important for them to restore a level of normality and sense of hope in the community and I’m hoping that our gesture here, while it won’t solve all the problems of the community, it will certainly inspire them to move forward with a new sense of hope and purpose,” he said. The donation was initiated by Mr. Patrick who told JIS News that he had lost four family members in the Portland Cottage flood.
Meanwhile, Principal of the Salt Savannah Primary and Infant School, Beverly Hall said that the entire community appreciated the donation.
“Many parents suffered a great deal of loss. Many of them (the students) are here, because they want to be here but not because the parents can afford it. It is certainly a very good gesture on behalf of the JPS and we hope that our school can benefit from the kindness of other companies like this one,” she said.