LIME Country Manager Anthony Ritch

LIME, formerly called Cable & Wireless, said on Monday that a team of specialists are currently in the Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman assessing damage and formulating a recovery plan in the aftermath of Hurricane Paloma.

The telecommunications company said the experts would coordinate efforts with Government officials and other public utility companies, following the devastation there on Saturday.

Anthony Ritch, LIME Country Manager for the Cayman Islands said: “They will lend their support to our LIME colleagues who are already there and who were on the ground throughout the storm.”

He said the company is also assisting with humanitarian relief effort as was the case when Hurricane Ivan devastated Grand Cayman in September 2004.

“We had already put together a container of humanitarian supplies that we had arranged to ship but we are now transferring those supplies from the container to put onto commercial flights so that we can get help there quicker,” he said.

“LIME plays a vital role in providing communications and supporting our community, we will therefore continue providing humanitarian assistance as further details of what is required on the ground are provided.

“Our experience with Hurricane Ivan has taught us great lessons that will allow us to more effectively help our LIME family and friends.”

Food, personal necessities, generators, air mattresses, tarpaulins, electrical cords, flashlights and batteries, halogen lamps, and baby supplies among other items, have been shipped to the Islands on Cayman Islands.

As it relates to telecommunications services, LIME said its recovery efforts will ensure complete coverage is restored in the shortest possible time, while fixed line services will be established following the re-planting of utility poles across the island. Priority will be placed on emergency services, utilities and other Government services.

In addition to keeping its customers in touch with their families and friends, mobile phones can be charged at any one of the LIME exchanges, and hot spots are being set up at each of these locations so customers will be able to access the Internet.

LIME is also reminding residents not to touch or cut downed telephone cables but to report these and other faults to LIME 24 hour Customer Care Centre at 611.

Meantime, the company said that all its telecommunications services have been fully restored in Grand Cayman following the passage of Hurricane Paloma.

“Most of our interruption to service occurred because of the lack of commercial power,” Mr Ritch said.

“Once again our systems performed well under adverse conditions. Our corporate customers have expressed their delight that they chose the right provider to manage their systems.”

For media enquiries, please contact Julie Hutton on (345) 926-1598 or email Julie.hutton@time4lime.com