ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — The east Kingston-based Caribbean Cement Company is apologising for what retailers have labelled as a dust nuisance from damaged bags of imported cement.

The cement was imported as a stopgap due to ongoing upgrades at the local plant.

Two leading hardware operators in south-central Jamaica expressed disappointment with the “high number” of damaged bags.

Proprietor of Levon Electrical and Hardware, Evon Redman, told Observer Online that he has been suffering from the dust nuisance for the past two weeks.

“Apart from the inconvenience and the dust nuisance, it is causing major inconvenience in the industry. The major issue right now is the dust nuisance and the burst ones with the imported cement. Definitely the damage [volume] is a lot worse than when they are producing. They say take pictures of it and say we do that and it is 30 bags. We are lucky if they give us a credit note for 10 [bags],” he said.

“For the past two weeks we have been getting all imported cement,” he added.

Redman also pointed to the health concerns as he said four members of his staff have experienced respiratory illnesses in recent days, believed to be caused by the dust nuisance.

“It is really a very bad situation. Even persons who don’t have asthma are having breathing problems dealing with it. One young lady who works across the road was out for three days. It affected her eyes. There were two others who are out from Saturday and now a third one called in sick this morning (Monday) and said he is going to the doctor,” he said.

Proprietor of True Bargain Hardware, Delroy Slowley, also shared similar sentiments.

“I am also being affected. I mean the unusually heavy dust that accompanies the packages is really a serious challenge especially to my team members and I am very uncomfortable with the quality of what is coming,” he said.

“Yes they explained to me that they expect to have it improved by the latest Thursday, but to be very honest with you, I am very unhappy with the quality of it. What I don’t like for myself I don’t put it for somebody else and so my team members, who have to lift and handle those cement, I am very uncomfortable for them. What they do, I also [did]. I might not necessarily do it now, but I really don’t feel comfortable in terms of the fact that they have to handle that cement in the current situation as it is. The packaging is very porous and that is really the big issue with it… I am really disappointed with it,” he added.

Chad Bryan, communication and social impact coordinator at Carib Cement, in a press release on Monday responded to the concerns of “damaged packaging of imported cement which was temporarily introduced to ensure an uninterrupted supply during the final phase of the company’s expansion programme”.

“We understand that this would have caused an inconvenience, and we extend our sincere apologies to customers who have been affected. We are actively addressing the reported issue, working closely with our teams and maintaining direct communication with our customers. We thank them for their continued support and understanding, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering value, sustainability and an exceptional brand. Should there be any further concerns or inquiries, we encourage customers to reach out to our team of dedicated sales representatives for assistance”.

“When operational in the coming days, our upgraded infrastructure will significantly improve production capacity, allowing us to better serve local demand, drive exportation and contribute to reducing Carib Cement’s carbon footprint. This US$40 million investment underscores our commitment to long-term sustainability and environmental responsibility,” the statement read.

— Kasey Williams