The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) on Monday began the installation of prepaid meters in McGregor Gardens, as part of the Company's Community Renewal Programme, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). JPS aims to install in excess of 200 prepaid meters in the community over the next three months.

Member of Parliament, minister of state in the Ministry of Energy, and chairman of the taskforce established by the Government to address electricity theft, Julian Robinson, and JPS vice president for Community Renewal Keith Garvey, were on hand to witness the installation of the meters and discuss their benefits with the residents. Prepaid meters have been offered to these residents as one option to help them to better manage their energy usage and their budgets. "The reception has been positive,"said Minister Robinson."The residents are happy to finally have safe, legal supply. They understand that it is now up to them to manage how much they use - they can top up as they need, and work within their budgets."

Earlier this year, the company officially opened a service centre in McGregor Gardens, in keeping with its push to regularise electricity supply in that community. The service centre is staffed by trained community facilitators and JPS personnel who have been working to educate the residents on energy management, and facilitate sign-ups for regularisation of their supply. Through its collaboration with JSIF, JPS has facilitated the rewiring of the houses of persons who have signed up to have their supply regularised.

McGregor Gardens is one of seven inner-city communities in which JPS is working to regularise electricity under the Community Renewal programme. The other communities are Denham Town, Tower Hill, Arnett Gardens, Whitfield Town, Payne Land, and Majesty Gardens - all characterised by high incidences of electricity theft. Under the Community Renewal Programme, JPS aims to facilitate the conversion of 2,000 non-paying users of electricity to customers over the next year, in order to reduce system losses and the country's demand for expensive imported fuel.