Following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, the Universal Service Fund (USF) launched Connec’2Restoration; an island-wide restoration and modernization initiative aimed at repairing damaged infrastructure and strengthening Jamaica’s public connectivity through more resilient, future-ready solutions.

Hurricane Melissa caused unprecedented disruption to Jamaica’s public Wi-Fi network, impacting 415 USF supported Community and Public Wi-Fi sites, including Community Access Points (CAPs). These sites serve as critical lifelines for education, employment, government services, and small business activity: particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Born out of necessity, Connec’2Restoration has evolved into something far greater: a national reinvention of public connectivity that is stronger, smarter, and more resilient than before. While the immediate objective is the full restoration of all 415 affected sites, the initiative goes further. The USF is progressively upgrading locations with solar power systems and satellite connectivity, ensuring communities remain connected even during power outages or future disasters.

Restoration Progress to Date

Restoration efforts are well underway across multiple parishes. To date, approximately 81 communities have been fully restored, with sites now operational and online.

These restored locations include libraries, schools, post offices, community centres, and public spaces across Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, St. Elizabeth, Trelawny, Manchester, St. Ann, Portland, St. Catherine, St. Mary, St. Thomas, St. Andrew, and Clarendon, reflecting the truly national scope of the initiative.

*(Full list of restored sites available below for reference.)
Active & Online Wi-Fi Sites

Bethel Town Branch library	Westmoreland	Completed
Lucea Municipal corporation	Hanover	Completed
Huntley Library	Manchester	Completed
Niagara Primary School	St. James	Completed
White House Community Center	Westmoreland	Completed
New Town Basic School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Petersfield Post Office	Westmoreland	Completed
Troy Basic School	Trelawny	Completed
Watt Town Post Office	St. Ann	Completed
Lacovia Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Fyffes Pen Post Office	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Siloah Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Cambridge High School	St. James	Completed
Middle Quarters	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Chester Castle	Hanover	Completed
Sherbury Logwood	Westmoreland	Completed
Hatfield Community Center	Westmoreland	Completed
Granville Primary & Infant School	Trelawny	Completed
Daniel Town Primary School	Trelawny	Completed
Rio Bueno Basic School	Trelawny	Completed
Freeman’s Hall Primary School	Trelawny	Completed
Spring Garden Primary School	Trelawny	Completed
South Trelawny Edu-Skill Centre	Trelawny	Completed
Barracks Road Primary School	St. James	Completed
Goodwill Primary and Junior high School	St. James	Completed
Flankers Primary & Junior High School	St. James	Completed
Salt Spring Primary School	St. James	Completed
Farm Primary and Junior High School	St. James	Completed
Roehampton Primary School	St. James	Completed
Albion Primary and Junior High School	St. James	Completed
Bethlehem All Age School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Top Hill Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Mayfield All Age School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Ballards Valley Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Newton Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Parrotte Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Newcombe Valley Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Mountainside Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Carisbrook Primary School	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Waterloo Primary School	Manchester	Completed
Coley Mountain Primary School	Manchester	Completed
Richmond Primary School	Manchester	Completed
Woodlands Primary School	Manchester	Completed
Watford Hill All Age School	Hanover	Completed
Mount Peto Primary School	Hanover	Completed
Claremont Primary School	Hanover	Completed
Maryland All Age School	Hanover	Completed
Cacoon Primary and Infant School	Hanover	Completed
Chester Castle All Age School	Hanover	Completed
Broughton Primary School	Westmoreland	Completed
Negril United Church School	Westmoreland	Completed
Mount Grace Primary School	Westmoreland	Completed
Boundbrook Infant School	Portland	Completed
Moore Town Primary School	Portland	Completed
Priestman’s River Library	Portland	Completed
Inverness Primary and Infant School	St. Ann	Completed
Bambo Primary School	St. Ann	Completed
Naggo Head Primary School	St. Catherine	Completed
Point Hill Primary School	St. Catherine	Completed
Wakefield Primary School	St. Catherine	Completed
Paisley Primary School	St. Mary	Completed
Bath Primary and Junior High School	St. Thomas	Completed
Bowden Hill Primary and Infant School	St. Andrew	Completed
Pembroke Hall Primary School	St. Andrew	Completed
Marvaley Primary and Junior High School	St. Andrew	Completed
Effortsville Primary School	Clarendon	Completed

Mount Peto Primary School	Hanover	Completed
Cornwall Community Center	St. James	Completed
Content Community Center	St. James	Completed
Maroon Town Community Center	St. James	Completed
Seaton Crescent	Westmoreland	Completed
Braes River Post Office	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Balaclava Post Office	St. Elizabeth	Completed
Maidstone	Manchester	Completed
Comfort Hall	Manchester	Completed
Glasgow	St. Ann	Completed
Grants Mountain	St. Ann	Completed
Grants Bailey	St. Ann	Completed
Carnie	St. Ann	Completed

Impact at the Community Level

Each restored site can support up to 230 simultaneous device connections, typically serving 50 to 150 active users at any given time. On average, a single location can provide connectivity to 100–200 households, potentially reaching 400 or more individuals per site.

When fully restored and upgraded, Connec’2Restoration has the potential to positively impact over 166,000 Jamaicans nationwide, reinforcing digital inclusion and strengthening community resilience across the island.

Moving Forward

Work continues daily across Jamaica, with additional communities being restored and brought online each week. As the USF moves steadily toward full national recovery, Connec’2Restoration remains a powerful demonstration of our commitment to connecting Jamaica to more.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has received 200 tablet computers from the Universal Service Fund To assist with damage assessments on homes impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

The donation represents the first tranche of 1,000 tablets, valued at over $79 million, that will be provided to the Ministry to strengthen its disaster response and social protection efforts.

The devices, equipped with Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity, SIM cards, and protective hard cases, were officially handed over during a ceremony held on Tuesday, January 27, at the Ministry’s North Street offices in Kingston.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., welcomed the donation, highlighting the critical role the tablets will play in improving the efficiency of social workers conducting field assessments, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

The tablets are expected to significantly enhance data collection, reporting, and coordination efforts as the Ministry continues to assess and respond to housing damage caused by the hurricane.