JPS contractor dies trying to light up communities

Outside of family, what gave Courtney Robinson the most pleasure was seeing electricity restored to communities that were once left in darkness.

After Hurricane Melissa inflicted catastrophic damage on western Jamaica last October, the 66-year-old contractor got into recovery mode and began playing his part in restoring the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) grid and bringing electricity back to homes.

"He would call me and say, 'Munu, the place mash up. The people dem don't have no light. It hard to get through,'" his daughter, 33-year-old Kayon Robinson, who now resides in the United States, recalled.

"Then he'd say, 'Munu, I'm going to double so they can get light.'"

According to her, his greatest joy came when power was restored.

"He would call me and tell me how when the light came back on, people would shout 'Yay!' That meant everything to him," she said.

"No matter the time, even two o'clock in the morning, he wanted to make sure customers got back their light."

Her father, she said, approached his job with pride and purpose. Sadly, that determination cost him his life. On Monday, the 66-year-old contractor fell from a ladder in Butt Up Town, Albert Town, southern Trelawny. He died on the spot.

The tragedy unfolded on the very day his family was preparing to celebrate his youngest grandson's birthday -- a coincidence that has deepened the family's grief.

"My legs have been shaking since Monday," she said.

"I am struggling with the reality that I will no longer receive a call or text from him saying, 'Foodie' or 'Munu', Wah gwaan?'"

On the ill-fated day, the Manchester resident began his day in a familiar manner. He was not only focused on work, but also on family.

"He woke me up because it was his youngest grandson's birthday. He never misses those moments," his daughter told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"He kept asking me, 'You nuh get no video?' I told him no, and he said, 'You nuh wake up yet?' Then he hung up and called them himself."

She said he later contacted other relatives, including her brother Tahjae, to ensure he wished his grandson, Keeon, a happy birthday and checked in on the rest of the grandchildren -- part of what she described as his daily routine of staying closely connected to family.

According to Kayon, the devotion her father showed his grandchildren mirrored the love he poured into his own children while they were growing up.

Before joining JPS as a contractor, Robinson worked in trucking, hauling marl and later driving a water truck. Some of Kayon's fondest memories came from those days.

"When the water truck came home empty, he'd let us climb up and look inside," she said. "It was always fun when he was around."

Though investigations into the incident are ongoing, she stressed that her father was safety-conscious and took his training seriously.

"He always said no job is so important that you skip safety steps. I know he wore his proper gear."

Now, the silence he left behind is what weighs on her most. Still, Kayon's deep faith offers some comfort.

"In my head, I hear him saying, 'Aye Munu, calm down, take your mind off things.' I feel like he would tell me he's alright now, that it was just his time," she said.