Initiated the commercialisation of bottled water

Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Jamaica Bauxite Mining (JBM) is now developing diversified streams of revenue through the utilisation of its asset base.

In addition, the JBM has embarked on initiatives to strengthen internal human capacity and to improve operational and governance efficiencies to be able to achieve the strategy.

The JBM has initiated the commercialisation of bottled water, extracted from the spring on its Ocho Rios, St Ann property.

This water will be distributed in bulk to the cruise lines that dock at the nearby Reynolds Pier. This innovative project will promote Jamaica’s alkaline natural resource and will provide an economically viable revenue stream for the JBM.

The project has been granted conceptual approval by the Public Investment Appraisal Branch and is slated to be launched in October this year.

Other revenue boosting plans

Other revenue booster is the development of an Industrial Park involving the restoration of the dilapidated buildings on its property in St Ann into 60,000 square feet of modern storage facilities for commercial rental. This, is in addition to the development of commercial park and further development of the Reynolds Pier to include an eco-system plan that will support the sustainability of the blue economy by increasing the industrial cargo export market, in particular, limestone.

The phased development of these land projects will further the economic activity in St Ann with the creation of more employment opportunities. Another revenue booster is real estate development in which the JBM has earmarked 150 acres of land within the Lydford Estate to build 500 housing units.

The affordable housing development will support the eco-system infrastructure of the Lydford Industrial and Commercial Park project. It is expected to bring much needed social and economic activity to the surrounding communities. The project is slated to begin in December this year.

Profiting from Limestone

Throughout the pandemic, Jamaica’s usual shipment of limestone through the JBM was maintained, even amid the halt of cruise vessels. In fact, exports increased with over 140,210 metric tonnes of limestone shipped through Reynolds Pier in St Ann.

JBM also secured another regular exporter, Jamaica Aggregates, thus ensuring jobs were maintained and the sustainability of the Limited-Use Public port operation. The mining sector continues to be a significant contributor to the foreign exchange reserves.

The JBM is projecting to earn significantly from the development plans for the Reynolds Pier, the first phone of which have already been completed with newly constructed modern facilities. These include new administrative offices, warehouse, rehabilitation of the workshop building and construction of a reception building to house Immigration, Customs, the police as well as a separate Ministry of Health quarantine unit.

Phase 4, the final stage which includes a pedestrian way with craft vending kiosks, is slated to commence next month.

The JBM has partnered with Concord Resources, which has taken over the local operations of Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners in collecting two and half years of outstanding User Asset Fee, totalling US$3.4 million, owed by Noranda.