Country not ready for expected boom, complains unionist

Mandeville, Manchester - President of the National Workers Union (NWU), Vincent Morrison says that based on global trends mothballed bauxite/alumina plants could reopen as early as "nine months to a year from now".

At the same time, he lashed the Government for its failure to establish the promised task force to properly prepare the country and maximise benefits from the predicted recovery.

We (NWU) are very concerned because early last year the Government indicated an intention to put in place a task force...We have not seen or heard anything further about that task force," Morrison said in a telephone interview.

His comment followed Wednesday's formal implementation of a redundancy programme for all 762 permanent employees in the West Indies Alumina Company (WINDALCO) group, which has operated bauxite mining, refining and shipping operations in Manchester, St Catherine and Clarendon.

Mining and refining ceased at Windalco plants, Kirkvine in Manchester and Ewarton in St Catherine a year ago in response to the slump in the metals market and high energy costs. But permanent workers were kept on at 60 per cent pay and a three-day work week.

Windalco is owned by the world's largest aluminium producer, the heavily indebted Russian company, UC Rusal. Alpart at Nain in St Elizabeth, Jamaica's largest alumina refinery, majority owned by Rusal as well, also closed a year ago.

Yesterday, Morrison said that positive indicators in the world's metals market indicated to him that the country should be preparing for an earlier than previously anticipated reopening of the refineries, "possibly as early as nine months to a year from now". He conceded, however, that much would depend on the speed with which the United States economy recovered from recession.

He revealed that "as we speak" representatives of UC Rusal were doing due diligence checks on the Ewarton plant with a view to reopening. Word has been circulating for some time that the Ewarton plant could be reopened by the end of 2010. Morrison noted that Ewarton had a special advantage because of large quantities of "high quality" bauxite close to the plant.

Recently, Mining Minister James Robertson appeared to suggest that moves by Government to accelerate the introduction of liquefied natural gas, LNG as Jamaica's main source of electricity generation, replacing petroleum-based fossil fuels, could speed the recovery of bauxite/alumina. At its height bauxite/alumina is said to have netted in the region of US$500 million for the Jamaican economy.

In the meantime, Morrison pointing to what he called a "spike in crime" in bauxite communities, urged the Government to move quickly to implement socio/economic initiatives in areas close to closed plants.

"It's an urgent matter, something needs to be done quickly," said Morrison whose union has dominated the bauxite/alumina sector over several decades.

He told the Observer that the NWU was satisfied with the WINDALCO redundancy programme which ends in July with the final payment of four tranches.

"We have spent a lot of time in the consultation process, working through the issues as it relates to the workers' entitlements and we are satisfied," he said.

In an emailed response to questions, Windalco's Senior Communications Officer Kayon Wallace said an entity called Take Care Organisation comprising 257 contractors which was scheduled to come into effect the same day, "will be responsible for the continuation of WINDALCO's agricultural operations, Port Esquivel operations and asset preservation activities at the refineries".

Wallace said WINDALCO would continue crucial community projects, particularly the distribution of water.

"WINDALCO will continue providing water to the affected communities and institutions that have been receiving assistance. The company will also

continue providing water to the hospital in the event of an emergency.

She said that "A budget was submitted and once we get the approval,there are some key projects and programmes that we hope to continue in our host communities".