The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORTY per cent of Cable Bahamas Ltd customers in New Providence have had their cable services restored in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, CBL Vice President of Marketing David Burrows said yesterday.

Mr Burrows also said Cable Bahamas Ltd (CBL) technical teams are on the ground in Grand Bahama, Andros and the Berry Islands ready to restore services once power becomes available in those areas. He said the company is working “right behind” Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) in that regard.

As of 3pm yesterday, Mr Burrows said Abaco, Bimini and Exuma had all services “up and running.” However, he said, there are about 16 channels down in Exuma due to damage sustained by the main transport dish.

Additionally, some 97 per cent of CBL customers on Eleuthera have their REV services “up and running,” Mr Burrows said. He also said Long Island is showing that 92 per cent of customers are “active,” but although the system is up, there are 10 channels currently down also due to damage to the main transport dish.

Mr Burrows said while CBL’s various “free to air” systems in the Family Islands fared well throughout the storm, only the systems in Red Bays, Andros and Farmer’s Cay, Exuma are down. CBL “never lost” any of its customers in San Salvador, Mr Burrows said.

Last week, CBL officials said customers throughout the country were experiencing service outages that were primarily related to power interruptions and downed distribution lines that were impacted by falling trees. Officials said at the time that Matthew’s “gusting winds,” which blew rain, salt, sand and debris around, would have “varying degrees of effect on the company’s systems.”

Nonetheless, CBL Chief Operating Officer (COO) John Gomez reportedly said the company initiated its emergency plan “when the track of Hurricane Matthew approached the southern islands of the Bahamas.”

At the time, Mr Gomez said preparations were being made for deployment of repair crews to the southern islands pending the reopening of airports and when access became available.