Mining minister assures of Jamaican jobs under new Chinese owners of Alpart

Mining Minister Mike Henry is seeking to assure that Jamaican jobs will be secure under the new Chinese owners of Alpart in St Elizabeth.

He was speaking at the loading of 35,000 tonnes of alumina onto a ship at Port Kaiser, St Elizabeth, yesterday.

Henry announced that 60 Jamaicans are to depart in February for China under a training programme instituted by Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO).

He also outlined that 80 per cent of the workforce at Alpart are Jamaicans.

He said the new power plant to be built by JISCO will employ 300 people.

Noting that ALPART is only operating at about 25 to 30 per cent efficiency at the moment, Henry said he hoped millions of tonnes of alumina will soon be leaving the port.

This is the first time in nine years that Alumina is being shipped from the processing plant at Nain.