LUCELEC Second Cohort Supports Jamaica's Hurricane Restoration Efforts

Castries, March 18, 2026 – A second cohort of linemen from the St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has returned to Saint Lucia after completing a four-week deployment in Jamaica. The team provided post‑hurricane electricity restoration support at the request of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS).

The technical assistance aided Jamaica as it continues rebuilding sections of its electrical network devastated by Hurricane Melissa in 2025. This second team comprised mainly of newly certified linemen and was led by LUCELEC Equipment Maintenance Supervisor Michael Ambrose.

“They got their certificates two years ago and the way LUCELEC is oriented we don’t have that kind of work where our linemen are exposed to pole climbing on a daily basis and therefore I thought it would have been very good for them to get that level of exposure and have that experience to understand fully what the lineman job is all about,” he says.

Reflecting on the assignment upon his return, Mr. Ambrose commended the team’s attitude and professionalism.

“The supervisor who was in charge of our team he came to me and he said our team was really united, they really love the way we work, he said they loved our work ethic and so that just tells you how engaged the team was and how they were all together putting the effort to make sure that we accomplished the tasks every single day. It was a wonderful experience, the hospitality from the JPS Team was excellent, the work was challenging, difficult but the team for me, the team kept me motivated all the time because they were at it every day and ready to go every day.”

Speaking ahead of departure, newly certified lineman Johan Stephen, said the deployment was his first opportunity to participate in hurricane recovery efforts outside of Saint Lucia.

“For me I think it’s going to be more a learning experience where I can get to see what the other utility – how it functions and how they operate different from ours. I am always ready and willing to take on any new challenge.”

The willingness to help Jamaica get back on its feet was the motivation for John Daniel who was part of the first team who responded to assist Jamaica last year. He said the experience then was very challenging.

“It was tough because since we went up directly after the hurricane, we met a lot of difficulties, we met a lot of the real restoration work to rebuild the line, rebuild the network.”

LUCELEC’s deployment was facilitated through the CARILEC Disaster Assistance Programme, a regional mechanism that mobilizes skilled teams and critical equipment from member utilities and partners in the aftermath of natural disasters. LUCELEC continues to reaffirm its commitment to regional cooperation, workforce development, and building technical resilience across the Caribbean electricity sector.

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