Community Activist and BOSA Secretary/Treasurer
Frequent representation by Vincent Samuels, Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) Alumnus on behalf of residents in his native impoverished, poverty stricken, peasant farming rocky hilly terrain of Flint Valley, New Market, Saint Elizabeth, is not by any means a new phenomenon.
“Kitchen Bitch” And Home Sweet Home Kerosene Lamps The Source of Light in The Home.
In the 1960’s while residing at Flint Valley in the house that his grandmother Jane Rebertha Samuels bequeathed to him in her estate, tired of obtaining light in his dingy apartment from the old “Kitchen Bitch” and Home Sweet Home Kerosene Lamps, Vincent Samuels made the bold move – scoffed at by Politicians, reactionaries, and some of his own people – and wrote to Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSCO) about the plight of his community and asked the Company to provide electricity to the area.
Positive Response Received From JPSCO
Mr. Samuels was not at all surprised when he received prompt response from JPSCO informing him that the Company is committed to provide the renovated board house in which he lived with electricity if he could get five (5) other house owners along with himself to employ a Licensed Electrical Contractor to wire the six (6) houses and get them inspected and passed by the Government Electrical Inspector.
Lobbying To Find Five House Owners
With the letter from JPSCO in his hand, Mr. Samuels lobbied Donald and Edna Murray (deceased), Victor Smith, Uriah Smith “Mass Coolie” and his wife “Miss Joyce” (deceased) George “Bobby” and his wife Doris “Miss Dor” Lawrence(deceased), and Devon Smith, to obtain their acquiescence and commitment to do what JPSCO requested.
Pooled Cooperative Resources Made It Happen.
With assistance from Mr. E. T. Hanson, Licensed Electrical Contractor who quoted house owners a favourable price to do the job of wiring all six (6) houses, pooling their resources in a cooperative manner, Mr. Hanson and his work team wired all six (6) houses and had them inspected and passed by the Government Electrical Inspector in one day!
Electrical Poles Are Dropped And JPSCO Work Crew Begin To Run Transmission Lines To Mr. Samuels House At Flint Valley.
Mr. Samuels being a well known and well respected Community Activist in the area, obtaining easements to enable the electrical poles and transmission lines to go through people’s property was like a piece of cake. Armed with easements signed by property owners, JPSCO began to install electrical poles from the intersection of its transmission line at the bye-pass road at Carr and Beersheba/Flint Valley Parochial Road No. 47.
Gone Are The Days of the “Kitchen Bitch” and Home Sweet Home Kerosene Lamps.
When JPSCO activated its transmission line to Flint Valley, the house that belonged to Mr. Samuels was the first house in Flint Valley to be provided with electricity that replaced the “Kitchen Bitch” and Home Sweet Home Kerosene Lamps.
The Vision Of One Man Has Transformed Flint Valley And Benefitted Residents Who Reside In Remote Areas In This Impoverished, Poverty Stricken, Peasant Populated District.
Mr. Samuels is elated that his vision to bring electricity to his renovated wooden house in Flint Valley, has not only benefited himself, but it has also benefitted several residents in remote areas in Flint Valley who have not only been provided with electricity in their houses, but they also have seen their property value appreciated over the years.
Thank you, I did not know that you were the person behind the seen that enabled us to have electric light in our District. I remembered how excited everyone were when the light was turned on. It was referred to by some of the natives as “moon pon stick”. You have done a marvelous job in the community for your people and although you are not living in the district, you never stop helping and addressing the needs of your people. You are a true servant of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, always putting others before yourself. Your captioned at the end of the newsletter, “A Heart that is Focused on Others will not be consumed with self” fits you to a “T”. There will be many stars in your crown. (sh)