By Angelo Lawrence, Gleaner WriterMandeville:
UNION LEADERS and others are busy trying to calm the fears of those in the region's bauxite industry who may be affected by the proposed sale of the assets of Kaiser Aluminium and Chemical Corporation in Jamaica.
The company, which owns 65 per cent of Alumina Partners (Alpart) in Nain, St. Elizabeth and 49 per cent of Kaiser Jamaica Bauxite mines in Discovery Bay, St. Ann filed for bankruptcy protection in February 2002, after it piled up liabilities of US$1.3 billion. According to a release from the company's United States headquarters, it has not made much improvement in its financial position since filing for bankruptcy (Chapter 11) protection.
Alpart, which does mining in both Manchester and St. Elizabeth, is the region's main employer with close to 2000 persons directly employed and spin offs affecting another 20,000 persons.
Residents in Far, Downs, New Forest and other districts surrounding the Nain plant told The Gleaner that they have been concerned about the company's future since it filed for Chapter 11, despite many assurances from the management that the local operation would not be affected. One resident in Comma Pen said, "Alpart is our government, anything we need is them wi ha fi go to". The company has been the sole provider of water and other recreational facilities to various communities in northern St. Elizabeth and south Manchester.
National Workers Union (NWU) vice-president and deputy Island Supervisor, Norman DaCosta, told The Gleaner from his Mandeville office that the sale of the local operations by Kaiser may be a 'blessing in disguise'. He said many of the fears that are being expressed are due to Kaiser's history as a "good corporate citizen". Mr. DaCosta, however, insist that the impending sale could represent a positive step for the future of both the Discovery Bay and Nain operations.
Members of the Mandeville commercial sector are also watching the development closely having experienced the sale of Alcan now WINDALCO in Williamsfield some years ago. That sale caused the displacement of several hundred workers and affected small businesses bordering its operations negatively.
The relationship between the sector and residents within the mining belt also nose dived and currently there is a tense situation developing in Kendal, which adjoins the Kirkvine plant, and the residents. Windalco wants to expand its mud lake, which runs along the Winston Jones Highway, to the dismay of the residents who claim the acid from the mud lake is destroying their homes and particularly the roofs.
