Castries, November 11, 2025 – In a powerful display of regional solidarity, St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has dispatched a skilled team to Jamaica to assist with power restoration efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The six-member delegation, comprising four LUCELEC team members and two contractors, departed Saint Lucia on Tuesday, November 4.
Led by LUCELEC Line Construction Supervisor Justin Small, the team includes Company linemen Nerie Joseph, Ricky Hippolyte and John Daniel, and contractors Tyron Mangal and Sam Velinor. Their mission: to support the Jamaica Public Service in restoring critical energy infrastructure and help communities return to normalcy.
Their deployment is part of the CARILEC Disaster Assistance Programme (CDAP), which coordinates the mobilization of teams and equipment from member utilities and partners across the region. LUCELEC Managing Director Gilroy Pultie was on hand to wish the team well and expressed pride in the company’s commitment to answering the call for assistance from its sister utilities.
“There’s no way as islands we would have the resources to respond as quickly as people expect and we must help each other. As a utility, LUCELEC is always delighted to raise our hands up. We are very happy to help, and we pray for the best for our team and for Jamaica for a very quick recovery and restoration,” said Pultie.
For Justin Small, this marks three decades of disaster response in his distinguished 36-year career with LUCELEC. This commitment has taken him to Anguilla, St Kitts, Grenada, Carriacou, Petit Martinique and now, Jamaica.
“I like to go that extra mile to assist other people that are facing disasters, especially after a hurricane. I do try my best and it’s something that’s coming from the heart and I’ve always loved doing that. It is always a good thing to see the time it takes for LUCELEC to respond. It’s just a few days after the hurricane strike and here it is LUCELEC has already made the preparations and then we are ready to leave to go to Jamaica to assist those people,” said Small.
Linemen Nerie Joseph and Tyrone Mangal echoed this spirit of service. “LUCELEC is a company that prides itself in being number one at whatever it does and going over to assist the people of Jamaica in light of the passage of Hurricane Melissa is a perfect opportunity to go there and make a difference and show the world that it is ok to go through challenges but always maintain a positive attitude and always be willing to fight and you will recover,” said Joseph
For Mangal of LUCELEC Contracting Firm Islandwide Electricals, who previously aided Jamaica after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in 2024, the opportunity is both professional and personal.
“LUCELEC is one of the most efficient utility companies in Saint Lucia so being able to spread their arms and their service to other Caribbean countries is a blessing. It gives people like me an opportunity to visit new places and it also helps us bring hope and faith into other Caribbean countries where it’s been ravaged by a hurricane or natural disaster.”
The team will be in Jamaica for approximately six weeks, working alongside local and regional crews to restore the company’s grid infrastructure.
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About LUCELEC
St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) was established in 1964. It is the only commercial generator, transmitter, and distributor of electrical energy in Saint Lucia. Over its history, LUCELEC has developed a reputation in the OECS and the wider Caribbean as an extremely well-run, world-class utility. In Saint Lucia, LUCELEC is without a doubt regarded as a best practice (model) company with a strong emphasis on customer service excellence, environmental stewardship, innovation, people development and social and economic development.
