According to a report, Jamaica’s largest alumina refinery JISCO Alpart lost several hours of production time as residents from surrounding communities blocked the entrance early yesterday to protest against environmental pollution and related issues.
The protest continued until the JISCO Alpart management agreed to meet residents, community leaders, and political representatives. It was only then the employees who arrived early morning for the start of their day-time shifts could enter the plant.
Around 50 residents, mostly women, attended the meeting, along with political representatives and community leaders. The meeting concluded with an agreement for the setting up of a monitoring committee which would meet fortnightly and report to residents on the progress of efforts by the company to reduce emissions.
Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Eastern Frank Witter (JLP), Councillor Layton Smith (PNP, Myersville Division), head of the Alpart Community Council Len Blake, and members of the Alpart management including Managing Director Zhang Jun were also present at the meeting.
The protest yesterday apparently took place because of the long delay in getting a report from JISCO Alpart about dust/air pollution, as well as due to inadequate compensation to householders and farmers, as residents claimed.
Nain resident Joseph Genus said if these emission problems could not be resolved, then JISCO Alpart should relocate people who live close to the refinery.
In return, the JISCO Alpart management team said that it is now in the process of rehabilitating the plant and the industrial emissions problem will be significantly reduced by the end of this year.
“Alpart is an old plant, and we are doing a lot of modifications to correct the issues. I can tell you that it won't be corrected overnight... but over time a lot of odour and emission issues will be taken care of,” JISCO Alpart's Communications Manager Julian Keane told journalists following the meeting.
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