Compared to the post-Gilbert period this has been a vastly different scenario.  So what has made such a difference in the intervening years between these two deadly hurricanes?

The company which had to contend with Gilbert was constrained by under-capitalization.  Its pole-mounted transmission and distribution cables and switching systems, in the twilight of their usefulness, were little match for Gilbert and took a severe beating, with dire implications for the country.

Re-building, modernization and expansion of the network were the main objectives in the aftermath of Gilbert.

There was a resolve at every level throughout the company - the partners in its ownership, management and staff - that Jamaica would not go through the experience of the post-Gilbert period again, as far as its telecommunications service was concerned.

One primary objective of the re-development effort was to build resilience into the telecommunications network.  That meant minimizing the possibility of damage to transmission and distribution cables that often results from flying objects in a hurricane, earthquakes, and to a lesser extent, surface hazards such as motor vehicle accidents, fires and vandals.  Consequently, the company began an extensive upgrading and expansion programme which saw all of its major distribution cables being placed underground.

Call processing systems also came in for an overhaul with the company going completely digital in all its exchanges by 1992.  The drive for resilience and flexibility also saw the company investing in alternative transmission paths using both fibre optic and digital microwave systems over land and around the island by way of submarine cable systems.

The built-in diversity was also extended to the company's international links and the Cable & Wireless Jamaica network now provides international connectivity over three routes - the primary Maya-1 system (submarine, fibre) the Trans-Caribbean Cable System (TCS-1) also submarine, fibre and a modern, all digital satellite earth station.

Jamaicans can therefore understand the vindication that the company must now feel about the hard decisions taken to invest heavily - some $80-billion over the last 16 years - digging up roads at the inconvenience of its customers to expand service and build hardiness into its network.

Head of Corporate Communications Errol Miller, commenting on the period says: 'We understood the anxieties of customers and members of the public then but we are sure now that the merit of the decision and the patience they showed then have been fully rewarded'.

The company's great experience with and commitment to maintaining a first class fixed line network has also been brought to bear on its mobile services,.  C&WJ ensured that to the extent it was possible, its bmobile network was as robust and as resilient as it could be.  A major contributor to this is the fact that the company employed fibre optic technology in linking many of its cell sites to its mobile switch as against using micro wave radios which are easily blown out of alignment by strong winds.  From comments throughout the media and on the streets it is clear that ' di owna does know the yard.'

It goes without saying that a hardy network would amount to nothing without dedicated employees to maintain it.  'We have excellent staff here' summed up one senior executive on Thursday morning.

He was speaking against the background of an experience of three employees assigned to ensure the availability of power and fuel for critical transmissions systems in the hills of St. Catherine.  The three - Raphael Campbell, Althea Harvey-Haughton and Michael Beckford - took refuge atop their two vehicles when they found themselves marooned in the fast rising waters of Red Pond near Bartons in Old Harbour around 10:00 o'clock Sunday night.

It took a frantic team effort involving Marine Police and Fire Services personnel, relying on bmobile service, to rescue the trio ending their four-and-a-half-hour ordeal.  Campbell, who has been with the company for some 22 years, was back at work on Monday morning at 7:30 a.m.!

There were scores of other technicians and support services staff who made the sacrifice of leaving damaged homes to ensure that as many Jamaicans as possible kept talking.  Possibly the biggest concentration of these employees over the first three days of this week were in Mandeville where many went without sleep in order to see to the restoration of service in that parish and St. Elizabeth.

While the company did experience difficulties with international voice, data and Internet services shortly after 'Ivan' passed, employees were relentless in their efforts to restore these services as quickly as possible.  Indeed, some of the setbacks in these areas were either outside of the control of humans or calculated decisions with short term impact but quite justifiable in the long-term view.  Damage to international submarine fibre systems, for example, took place offshore, while shutting down the Mandeville exchange was a calculated move to prevent long-term damage to sensitive equipment from potential flooding.

Senior Vice President for Network Operations Hugh Cross, who has seen two storms from critical vantage points, says 'We have learnt our lessons and fine-tuned our business continuity and emergency response systems and procedures over the years.  That has implications in very practical ways for the people of this country whom Cable & Wireless Jamaica exists to serve and we are glad that we have managed in our own way to make them happy.'