The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A FULL assessment of how Hurricane Sandy contributed to the disruptions of the country’s telecommunications services cannot be completed until the Bahamas Electricity Corporation restores full electrical power, a BTC official said yesterday.

Jerome Sawyer, Bahamas Telecommunications Company senior manager of public relations, said BTC has its assessment teams in the Family Islands.

“A lot of issues,” he said, “have to be determined, whether they are related to electricity outages or some issues related to downed poles or individual family homes. A lot of the assessment cannot be determined until full electricity is restored.”

BEC officials indicated yesterday at a press conference that power in New Providence would be fully restored as early as today or tomorrow.

In a press release yesterday, BTC said that teams were being dispatched around the country for restoration and assessments.

“BTC has dispatched assessment and restoration teams to several affected islands in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. As these teams continue to come in from around the country, so far about 32 employees have been dispatched to the Family Islands to begin the recovery effort.

“As early as Saturday, the first team was dispatched to Long Island. On Sunday, teams left for Exuma, Eleuthera, Cat Island and Rum Cay and Sandy Point, Abaco. On Monday teams are scheduled to travel to Andros and mainland Abaco. Should conditions allow a team will go into Freeport, Grand Bahama, on Tuesday.”

Abaco’s network appears to have received the most serious damage the statement said. However, reports are still coming in from Grand Bahama that also appears to have sustained significant damage.

BTC is advising customers that all New Providence retail and business operations are also scheduled to re-open today.