In addition to raising roosters for over half a century, Guillermo Berrick owns much of the island’s land as well as one of the aquariums, an inn, the busiest store and owns businesses on the islands neighbors, as well as six apartments in Cartagena.

In a place like Santa Cruz, he who owns land is king. Guillermo Berrick is one of them. He owns the school, the hospital, the solar panels that supply the island with electricity, the only local church, an evangelical congregation and the water storage tank.

I have been investing and building things on the island for over 40 years. I haven’t finished the work yet. I did it all by collecting stones, shells, trash and sand.”

It’s 10 p.m. and the streets are full of people. The nighttime atmosphere in Santa Cruz del Islote is always festive. Some people watch television inside or outside the house.

Children run their fingers over cell phone screens or play cops and robbers. Babies are jumping from lap to lap, the bar is full of men, rum and beer.

Until 10 years ago, the island lived with only 4 to 5 hours of electricity per day. The installation of solar panels guarantees energy supply between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., during a short break. Then the diesel engine runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

A lady approaches the central square with a poster in her hand and sticks it on the school wall. A crowd forms around the newspaper and the place begins to vibrate. There are the names of those who owe this month’s electricity bill. The notice states that electricity will be cut off the next day if payment is not made.

A small procession reaches the entrance to the island, the residence and office of Rocío de Hoyos, community leader and responsible for controlling electricity bills.

“I have managed the island’s electricity for more than fifteen years, I have never been paid for this service. When I returned from Cartagena and realized how many people were without electricity, I “I met the community and started organizing the problem. I bought the filters, the oil.”

Solar panels have changed everything. Currently, Islote benefits from 20 hours of light per day. “People eat better because they have a refrigerator, they learn more about the world thanks to television, cell phones, computers. Everything has changed for the better.”

The monthly bill is around R$50.