Britain’s top diplomat in Jamaica says there is potential for faster export growth of the island’s aggregates sector from a collaboration between the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK).

British High Commissioner to Jamaica Judith Slater, who went on a tour of Jamaica Bauxite Mining’s (JBM) operations in St Ann, on July 20, said that both the UK and the US could also derive economic benefits from a partnership to facilitate more aggregate exports from Jamaica.

“The business is to expand to be able to export much more aggregate to the US. This is a growing market and it’s really big opportunities for the UK and America to work together and really to grow Jamaica’s export,” Slater said after seeing the limestone quarry in Lydford.

“It has been a fantastic afternoon to come up to the limestone quarry and to see the extent and the scale of what is already going on,” she added.

The tour showcased an array of revenue streams that JBM has been successfully tapping into, such as the Ochi Alkaline Spring Water, the accommodation of cruise ships and commercial vessels at the Reynolds Pier in Ocho Rios, the undertaking of a multimillion-dollar commercial and industrial park development project in Lydford, and the various bauxite mines.

During the tour, Slater said she was impressed by the various revenue streams beyond bauxite mining and the Reynolds pier projects and expressed admiration for the innovative approach to utilising natural resources for sustainable export and economic growth.

JBM Managing Director Donna Marie Howe told Slater that “there are a lot of development projects that we have under way, and it’s useful for them to see the extent of where we are and where we want to get to”.

“So, it is really good for her to see first-hand what we have available in Jamaica and how we can strengthen our partnerships going forward as we grow and expand,” Howe added.