TRANSPORT and Mining Minister Lester ‘Mike’ Henry, announced yesterday that Jiquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) — new owners of the ALPART Refinery in Nain, St Elizabeth — has advised him that it will be using LNG as the preferred source of energy to drive the development of a 230 megawatt power plant, the new two-million tonne alumina refinery and the expansion of Port Kaiser.

The announcement should be a big relief for Jamaicans as it was first announced that the plant would be using coal.

Minister Henry said Chairman of JISCO Chen Chunming, who was in the island last week, gave him the undertaking in writing following the clear position of the Government that Jamaica’s development must be in tandem with best practices to protect the environment, reduce green house gas emissions and minimise the effect of climate change.

Henry was delivering the keynote address at the International Project Management Day Celebration and Awards Ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston on Thursday.

According to the minister, this is welcome news and speaks volumes for JISCOs sensitivity to environmental issues and its commitment to respect the Government and people of Jamaica as Jamaica and China work together to further cement a long and lasting relationship.

The mining minister, said a release from the ministry, was even more confident given that Jamaica is now poised on the brink of unlocking a further US$3b in investment over the next three years in St Elizabeth alone.

He said the people of St Elizabeth must now be sensitised to the influx of new faces in their communities and be prepared to work together, as the Government works hand in hand with the development and provide the social amenities and infrastructure. The development plans for ALPART/JISCO could see the provision of an additional 10, 000 jobs by 2020.