KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – The House of Representatives, on Tuesday approved the withdrawal of $406.5 million from the Capital Development Fund (CDF) to finance the bauxite development programmes.

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips, informed that $200 million will go to the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) to deal with pollution control, red mud disposal and water treatment.

The institute will also undertake work to identify and protect Jamaica’s mining resources and to support sustainable development.

The Bauxite Community Development Programme has been provided $200 million for greenhouse projects at eight sites, and water harvesting and crop production technologies in drought-prone bauxite areas.

Disbursements have also been made to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) towards the implementation of an avocado expansion project in Mocho Clarendon; and a peanut production and apiculture projects in St Ann.

Phillips also informed that $6.5 million is to be withdrawn for payment to the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ).

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell, noted that the Government has been very insistent that the bauxite alumina companies abide strictly to the terms of their licences whether it is for exploration or mining.

“We recently engaged and got the support of the Russian Government to enable us to do full rehabilitation, especially of those areas that are mined by UC Rusal. There are two aspects to it, one is to ensure that after mining, there is a substantial rehabilitation in terms of the physical look because there are too many places across Jamaica where you have gaping holes,” Paulwell said.

“Secondly, these are lands that can go back into productive use and we have seen elsewhere where they do mining that there is full rehabilitation. It is a matter that the JBI has recently received instruction from me to insist on,” he added.

Paulwell also mentioned that two projects are  being pursued to provide titles to Jamaicans, who were displaced because of bauxite miming, but are now back on the lands.

The CDF was established under the Bauxite Production and Levy Act. It was promulgated in 1974 at the time when the bauxite production levy was imposed, and the proceeds of the levy directed to the CDF.