In keeping the residents of San Pedro and our
readers in touch with the excellent progress the utility companies are making
since the hurricane hit San Pedro, we bring to you the following report.
BEL Mr. Jose Moreno
of Belize Electricity Limited has reported to the San
Pedro Sun that as of Thursday,
October 26th the town core of
San Pedro should be almost fully electrified. As reported in previous issues,
all Barrier Reef Drive regained electricity only a few days after the hurricane.
The hardworking people at BEL have now managed to bring electricity to the
people on Pescador Drive and Angel Coral Street, all the way to Island Galleria.
There are only a few houses in this area that have not regained power due to
damaged services, which BEL is working on. As of last Sunday, the Main
Transmission Line has been functioning. Mr. Moreno says
that by this weekend, BEL hopes to have all services connected from the Boca del
Rio area going south to Casa Mañana. In the severely affected areas of San Juan,
San Pedrito, Elliot Subdivision, Escalante Subdivision and San Pablo work will
commence as soon as these areas are cleaned up. It is expected that it will take
another week or so before electricity is restored. Mr. Moreno explained that BEL
will commence work on Feeder 3 (North Ambergris Caye) on Thursday but a time
frame for electricity to be restored was uncertain. BEL also reports that since many of the meters were
destroyed or are presently being worked on, meter readings will be done at a
later date. Homes with undamaged meters will be given a bill as soon as meter
readings are completed. On Tuesday, Mr. Neville Samuels of BEL told the San Pedro Sun that they had not addressed the
situation of giving their customers a grace period for payments as BEL's main
priority at this time is to restore power to the island. BTL As of Tuesday evening,
Belize Telecommunications Limited was unable to supply this paper with a
progress report as they were still compiling it. Nevertheless, customers with
lines that were not damaged are now able to make local, national long distance
and international calls. Customers with mobile cellular units can also make
cellular calls. With regards to billing and payment, BTL
will be distributing their bills as usual and no grace period to the customers
was confirmed. BTL will be calling customers before disconnection is done to
give their clients an opportunity to pay first. WASA As reported in previous
issues of the San Pedro Sun, WASA exceeded all
expectations by restoring 99% of the entire island with water in a very short
period of time. On another note, WASA advises its
customers that due to a lack of electricity at the San Pedro office, bills will
not be sent to customers until the end of the month. Their office is now open
and anyone wishing to submit payment may do so at this time. During this period,
no disconnections will be made by WASA. They also remind residents that a
thirty-day grace period is given to customers after the billing date.
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