J'can heroes in Bahamas
published: Wednesday | October 20, 2004

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM grateful to you for allowing me space in your newspaper to write a public letter of thank you. I am a Bahamian citizen living and working in the city of Freeport on the island of Grand Bahama. On September 3, 2004, our island was hit by Hurricane Frances. This hurricane stalled twice, south of us and over us and became a two-day hurricane event.

The hardest hit of our essential services was power. The Grand Bahama Power Company suffered an almost 100 per cent loss of their infrastructure. The task was daunting, but the company secured the services of many foreign linesmen. A group was sent from Jamaica and they became our heroes. Not a day goes by that they are not mentioned in some conversation for their stellar performance. I truly do not know what we would have done without them and their 'old-fashioned' method of scaling poles with spikes - no 'cherry-pickers' like our guys need!

Unfortunately, the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan to your own island necessitated their early departure from The Bahamas. I do not know any of them by name, but I hope someone from the power company or a relative will see this letter. Thank you for coming to our aid and for your dedicated efforts in restoring power to our island. God bless you all.

I am, etc.,

WENDY ANNE

WOODMAN

annewoodman@coralwave.com

Freeport, Grand Bahama

Bahamas