Business operators in Williamsfield, Manchester, and its environs still reminisce on the glory days of the economic benefits that emanated from the now-mothballed Windalco Kirkvine alumina plant.

“When Kirkvine did a run everybody used to be happy,” auto mechanic and body repair garage owner Patrick Ferreira told the Jamaica Observer last Tuesday.

The alumina plant, owned by Russian aluminum conglomerate UC Rusal, was closed down in 2009 and has not resumed operations since, despite numerous indications of interest to do so by the company and former government ministers of mining.

Business interests and citizens over the years suggested that the facility should be restructured to offer other economic opportunities.

Ferreira suggested that the facility be turned into a training school.

“Teach [people] welding and automotive repairs over deh,” he gestured with his hand pointed towards the plant as he stood in his garage at Shooters Hill.

A man who identified himself only as “Core” chimed in.

“Open, them fi open it back and yuh will see the potential weh you can get out of it. This is the original plant. People cry since this yah plant yah down enuh,” he said.

He added that businesses, including bars, were booming when the alumina plant was in operation.

“Nothing nah gwan yah suh now. Vehicles used to park two side [of the road] when yah suh used to run,” he stated.

“Bartender haffi beg dem [workers] fi come outa the bar,” chuckled Ferreira.

A few minutes’ drive down the road, Dale Downie, a proprietor of Don D’s Minimart in Williamsfield shared similar sentiments of the fast-paced economic benefits, which were brought by the alumina plant being in operation.

“We used to get a lot of business from the workers, whenever they leave work and want a place to entertain themselves, they would normally come by the bar, and must say not only our bar, but the bars in Williamsfield in general,” he said.

“We normally get a lot of business from those people. I must say it is also affecting the restaurants as well,” he added.

He suggested an idea of transforming the facility into an agro-processing plant.

“I believe if it is not possible where bauxite can return to its former glory then I would suggest…. to the company [to] sell it out to another company that would want to be involved in agriculture or agro-processing that would be a viable business,” he said.

“[It] would create employment and feed the country on a whole,” he added.

He believes that an agro-processing plant would contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“If bauxite can’t return then we have to think about how we can feed our country and invest in agriculture and implement and hire new technology, where that is concerned in efficiently and effectively supplying not only the country, but see where we can export and contribute to the GDP,” he said.

Downie, who helps his mother with the 25-year-old, second-generation minimart business, said the employment at the alumina plant had “a multiplier effect in that the households of the people working there benefitted”.

He added that “not only does the grocery business or the bar business suffer, but the hairdressers and nail technicians are affected negatively” since the plant was closed down.

He reflected on the aluminum company’s years of support of the annual High Mountain Coffee Road Race, which is the brainchild of the late John “Jackie” Minott, a coffee manufacturer, through his company Jamaica Standard Products.

“We normally have road races taking place here. I know they were one of the major sponsors of the road races,” said Downie.

Like many others, Downie is eagerly awaiting the completion of the US$188-million May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000, which he hopes will bring economic benefit to the area.

“I am hoping that, with the highway, we will be able to get products, raw materials at a much cheaper rate, so this can also contribute to a decrease in prices where transportation is concerned,” he said.