Growth & Jobs | Fishers in Parottee, Galleon benefit from solar-powered energy centres

Hundreds of fishers from Parottee and Galleon in St Elizabeth, who have been without electricity since the passage of Hurricane Melissa, now have access to solar-powered energy centres, equipped with refrigerated units to preserve their catch.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, on Friday, officially handed over two renewable energy centres to the communities, which were donated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In addition to providing cold storage for the fishers, the facilities will serve as community charging stations for residents.

They operate by charging large battery banks during the day using solar panels and inverters, allowing stored energy to power appliances at night and during blackouts.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Galleon, Minister Green pointed out that when fishers go out to sea, their inability to store their catch creates a significant challenge.

He noted that, as the Government works to restore electricity to these areas, it is crucial to provide solutions that build long-term resilience for the communities.

“This solar-powered refrigerated container will allow our fishers to store their catch and to ensure that they can go out with the certainty that they will not lose their days work or have to undersell their day’s work, because they have storage and that’s critical,” he said.

Minister Green noted that Hurricane Melissa dealt a severe blow to the fishing communities, noting that in Galleon, homes and boats were damaged by storm surges, and a fire destroyed a fishing shed that housed engines and gear.

He thanked the UNDP and local entities that have come forward to assist.

“In partnership with the Jamaica 4-H Foundation, the community is being provided with two boat engines. I also want to thank Food for the Poor, which repaired and restored some of the boats in this area. It will take all hands-on deck to get these fishers back out there,” Minister Green noted.

He highlighted ongoing Government support through the Ministry, with the distribution of more than 2000 rolls of fish-pot wire islandwide and the rolling out of boat repair grants starting next week.

These grants, which will range from $250,000 up to $5 million, will enable fishers to return to sea as quickly as possible.

UNDP Resident Representative for the Multi-Country Office in Jamaica, Dr. Kishan Khoday, in his remarks, noted that reliable electricity is essential for fishers, particularly for cold storage and post-harvest handling, which directly affects income and business stability.

The clean energy systems are designed to reduce losses, lower operating costs and decrease dependence on diesel and gas, he said.

“These installations are part of what we call the Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative and that’s an initiative that we launched with the Government and people of Jamaica back in November to support recovery in a broad sense nationally and at the community level,” Dr. Khoday said.

Over in Parottee, fisher Deborah Williams-Hall, expressed gratitude to the UNDP and the Government for the support.

She noted that Hurricane Melissa’s impact was severe with loss of homes, fishing equipment and livelihoods, and the provision of the energy centre will assist the community’s recovery and upliftment.

– JIS