WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Universal Service Fund (USF) has brought high-speed, no-cost internet connectivity to thousands of local residents with the official launch of 19 new community and public Wi-Fi hubs across Westmoreland, kicking off the ambitious regional Connec’ Di West Road Tour initiative.
The Westmoreland activation, held June 5 at Independence Park in Savanna-la-Mar, marks the opening phase of a three-parish outreach campaign that will deliver a total of 65 new Wi-Fi sites across the western Jamaican parishes of Westmoreland, St James, and Hanover, the USF announced in an official statement.
Infrastructure installed across Westmoreland is projected to extend free internet access to roughly 4,750 local residents, while the full western Jamaica rollout will bring connected coverage to close to 15,000 people across the three participating parishes.
The cross-parish road tour is a core component of the USF’s broader strategy to close the digital divide across underserved Jamaican communities. Beyond expanding access to digital infrastructure, the initiative aims to boost public awareness of available community Wi-Fi services, drive adoption among local residents, and bring critical government and support resources directly to doorsteps in under-connected regions. Attendees at launch events can access a full range of on-site services, from government program registrations and social benefit application assistance to utility bill inquiries and payment planning, alongside interactive and recreational activities for the whole community.
Speaking at the Westmoreland launch, USF Chief Executive Officer Charlton McFarlane emphasized the non-negotiable importance of reliable connectivity, particularly in the wake of widespread disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa, which battered western Jamaica last year.
“As many residents of western Jamaica know first-hand, Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to local infrastructure, knocking out communication and connectivity networks across dozens of communities. Moments of crisis like this make clear that internet access is no longer an optional luxury for modern life — it is a fundamental essential service,” McFarlane stated.
“We prioritized restoring and expanding connectivity to these western communities specifically because access to the internet shapes every critical part of daily life: educational access for students, emergency communication during crises, healthcare access for remote consultations, continuity for small local businesses, and the ability for families to stay updated when disaster strikes. Building out these Wi-Fi sites was never just about installing new technology; it was about reopening access to opportunity, reconnecting isolated communities, strengthening local resilience, and renewing hope for residents still recovering from the storm,” he added.
McFarlane also acknowledged persistent challenges that come with maintaining digital connectivity infrastructure in rural Jamaican communities, where severe weather and frequent lightning storms pose ongoing risks to equipment. He pointed to the recent full restoration of the Whithorn community Wi-Fi site, which suffered catastrophic damage during an earlier storm this year, as an example of the agency’s rapid response to outages.
“The USF moved quickly to rebuild the Whithorn site, investing approximately $2 million Jamaican dollars to restore service for local residents. While unplanned outages will occasionally occur due to unpredictable weather events, our commitment to serving Jamaican communities never wavers. We will always prioritize prompt responses to repair and restore service for the people who depend on us,” McFarlane said.
One of the flagship sites launched in Westmoreland is the Savanna-la-Mar public Wi-Fi network, the largest hub in the parish. Built with five access points distributed across the town, the network can support up to 500 concurrent users without sacrificing speed or reliability.
Dwayne Vaz, Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central, echoed McFarlane’s remarks, noting that the widespread connectivity outages following Hurricane Melissa made clear just how dependent modern communities are on reliable internet access.
“I think it was only after Hurricane Melissa hit that many of us realized we had taken consistent connectivity for granted. When networks went down, people were scrambling to find any way to get online to find updates on the storm, connect with family, and access emergency resources. That experience drove home how critical it is to have reliable, accessible connectivity for all community members,” Vaz said.
“What the Universal Service Fund is delivering for communities across this parish is transformative: free Wi-Fi right where people live and work, no hidden costs, no monthly fees. This opens up opportunity for everyone, from students trying to do homework to small business owners who need to connect with customers,” he added.
The USF emphasized that the initiative would not have been possible without coordinated cross-sector collaboration, noting that government agencies, municipal corporations, private sponsors, utility providers, and local community stakeholders all worked together to deliver the free service directly to residents.
The remaining stops on the Connec’ Di West Road Tour are already scheduled: the St James leg will launch June 19 at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay, followed by the Hanover launch June 26 at the Lucea Bus Park in Lucea.