For some, it seemed inevitable, others expected it to last forever, but whatever their expectation, residents of Mandeville all agree that the 2009 closure of the Kirkvinebauxite plant was a body blow to the town and neighbouring communities.
Six years later, persons have started to accept that despite an estimated 30 years of bauxite not mined, it is unlikely that the Kirkvine plant will ever reopen, and Mandeville has to look elsewhere for its economic salvation.
For businessman John Minott, while the fallout from bauxite has been tremendous, opportunities remain for Mandeville to achieve economic growth.
"It is going to be hard to replace bauxite because bauxite was so huge in the parish. Not only did it employ a large number of persons but the spin-off was tremendous," noted Minott at a recent Gleaner growth and development forum in Mandeville.
"It will be hard to find any industry to replace bauxite, and I think we are going to have to accept that. However, there are opportunities ... such as farming, which we can expand and we could look at adding more value to that sector by getting some more agro-industry going," added Minott.
Challenge:
He argued that the challenge was getting young people interested and to understand that there are opportunities in the central Jamaica town.
That's a view shared by Custos of Manchester Sally Porteous, and councillor for the Mandeville division in the Manchester Parish Council, Jones Oliphant.
Need for Investors:
Jamaica Labour Party caretaker for the town, Dr St Aubyn Bartlett, agreed on the need for investors, even as he pointed to distribution as one sector that could aid in that diversification and growth of the town.
To read full details: Life After Bauxite
Taken from Jamaica-Gleaner.com
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