PM steers key talks with ALCOA Executives

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller who is currently on a visit to the United States of America on Wednesday held talks with senior executives of Alcoa on the company’s bauxite/alumina operations in Jamaica. The talks described by the Prime Minister as ‘fruitful’ ended with Alcoa expressing satisfaction that “a path had been established for the future viability of the company’s operations in Jamaica."

Participating in the talks with the Prime Minister were Energy and Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell; Special Envoy and Mining Industry Expert, Dr Carlton Davis and Chairman of Clarendon Alumina Partners, Dr Vin Lawrence.  The Alcoa team was led by Vice President and Regional Chief Executive Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, Franklin Feder; and Executive Vice President Alcoa Houston, Texas and President, Alcoa Global Primary Products, Chris Ayers.  Also participating were Vice President Strategy and Development, Marty Bates; President, Energy Group, Rick Bowen and Managing Director, Alcoa Minerals of Jamaica Jerome Maxwell.  Alcoa and the government, through the company Jamalco, mines bauxite and refines it into alumina at its operations in Clarendon.

Minister Paulwell, who was originally scheduled to return to the island on Thursday has extended his stay following the scheduling of a meeting with executives of UC Rusal, the Russian mining and metals company, to discuss their operations at Ewarton in St Catherine, Kirkvine in Manchester and the Alpart operations in Nain, St. Elizabeth.

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