Government Committed to Ensuring Consistent Supply of Energy – Broderick

Minister of State in the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Hon. Laurence Broderick, has said that the Government is committed to ensuring that the country has a consistent, efficient and affordable supply of energy, to boost productivity.
The State Minister was speaking recently, at a function hosted by the Clarendon-based bauxite-producing company, Jamalco, to honour local contractors who contributed to the expansion of its Residue Disposal system.
He pointed out that the bauxite industry could have achieved more, if energy, a necessary component of the production process, could be accessed at an affordable rate.
“Heavens forbid what Jamalco would achieve if your energy input was say 20 per cent, and maybe not 40 per cent, which is more likely what it is. You would not only be top of the Caribbean or Latin America, you would also be top of Australia too. So, energy has to be the priority of this Government, if it wishes to see a revival of this industry,” Mr. Broderick said.
“Now is the time, if we are going to do natural gas, to hurry up and get moving, because it’s almost on the market at production classified cost. And, I am confident that the Government, of which I am a part, is going to bite the bullet and say this is where we are going, please join us and help us to make this a reality,” he added.
The State Minister insisted that if the country is to achieve First World status by 2030, it will need to be competitively poised on the world market, against other giants of the industry, and this will mean ensuring that the most economic primary fuel base is available, even while other secondary sources, such as solar, wind, hydro and bio-fuels, are developed.
He commended Jamalco for having withstood the ravages of the current economic storm, which has seen other bauxite-producing companies buckling under the pressure.
At the function, several local companies were recognised for their contribution to the successful expansion of Jamalco’s Residue Disposal system. These included KML Trucking, Jamaica Wells, Geotech Exploration, Jamaica Pre-mix, Cari-Pro Construction, Power Services Company and A&M Haulage, among others.