A US$50-million investment by Tropical Sugar Company Limited to return approximately 13,000 acres of former sugar lands to active production in Monymusk, Clarendon, which was once king of the island’s sugar belt, was on Tuesday hailed as the “renaissance” of the Clarendon plains.

Construction for the transformative project — which will re-establish commercial scale, mechanised sugar production in the area through a state-of-the-art, vertically integrated sugar cane processing facility with an installed capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes — will begin in January and should last 18 months.

According to Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, the event marked “the start of the restoration of sugar in Clarendon”.

“Clarendon was the sugar capital of Jamaica. Monymusk was home to one of the island’s most established estates, providing livelihood for generations of families across communities such as Lionel Town, Mitchell Town, Rocky Point, Hayes, and when the industry declined and the factories closed these same communities felt the impact. Farmers, workers, businesses that depended on sugar were left with real uncertainty,” Green said Tuesday at the ground-breaking for the plant on the grounds of the old Monymusk factory.

He said that, despite its troubled state, the sugar industry, with only two factories currently in operation, has continued to play a vital role in the economy and, the investment coming on the heels of hurricanes Beryl last year and Melissa in October, could not have come at a better time.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, noting that the Government has been concerned about how to restimulate economic activity in the parish, said the opportunity to revive sugar was well received.

“I am also very happy to see that the investors have purchased the lands for the agro-processing and industrial operations, that shows that they are taking an ownership stake in all of this and that they are not short-term investors,” Holness said.

“The investors have driven a stake in the land that is not easily uprooted… that is a powerful signal. It is only a wise economic decision to lease the other 2,000 acres from the Sugar Company Holdings of Jamaica (SCJ). This one investment will take a significant portion more than 20 per cent of the lands that are underutilised or unutilised held by the SCJ in Clarendon,” he pointed out.

Holness, who delivered the keynote address, said the Government hoped to woo other investors.

“My expectation is that others will look on and say if they are taking the risk, we can also take the risk. And for those persons who are also looking on at the other 38,000 acres that are available, I have given directives to the Ministry of Agriculture, minister of investment, industry and commerce, through to JAMPRO, that we welcome your interest and we will support you through the process to develop sustainable business plans for the remaining unused and underutilised,” he said.

Industry, Investment, and Commerce Minister Senator Aubyn Hill, in his remarks, said the event marked “a comeback for Lionel Town, Clarendon, and a strong unapologetic comeback for Jamaica’s sugar industry” which has been flagging for decades.

“Long before this moment, the foundation of a new era had to be laid. Between December 2005 and October 2011 I led the team that divested the Government-owned sugar estates, five factories and six estates that were underperforming and incurring significant losses year after year. As chairman of the then sugar divestment enterprise privatisation team and later as CEO of SCJ (Sugar Company of Jamaica) Holdings, I oversaw negotiations that ended with the Government relieving itself of these debt-increasing assets,” Hill said.

“The truth is, the Government of Jamaica had no business trying to run commercial sugar factories. That’s for businesspeople. Many claim that these estates had morphed into feeding trees at taxpayers’ expense. This strong decision to divest the sugar assets, made under the leadership of former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, was difficult but necessary. Today, we stand here breaking ground on a stronger, smarter, and better position,” he said further.

“When sugar is working, entire communities rise; Lionel Town, Hayes, and all of Clarendon, they all know this,” Hill said.

In the meantime, SCJ Holdings Chairman Cleveland Allen said the investment, coming on the heels of a devastating natural disaster like Hurricane Melissa, “stands as a clear signal of resilience, renewal and confidence in the strength of our people and the future of our agricultural sector”.

“The economic benefits of this project are significant. It is expected to generate roughly 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, opening new opportunities for farmers, heavy equipment operators, factory workers, transport operators, and small businesses across the region. These opportunities will help rebuild livelihoods, strengthen rural economies, and support the long-term sustainability of the surrounding communities,” he told the audience.

Chief executive officer of Tropical Sugar Company Limited Anil Jami, in contending that the project is “definitely a good opportunity for the local and national economy of Jamaica” and will create a lot of employment, whether direct or indirect”, said spin-offs such as green power through the production of bagasse and unique products for export added to its potential.

According to High Commissioner of India to Jamaica Shri Mayank Joshi, the project is a “major step in revitalising a sector that is central to the Jamaican economy, history, and identity and also will contribute to food security and energy security which are major concerns of the countries of the global south such as Jamaica and India”.

“It is also a great source of encouragement in the wake of Hurricane Melissa where we have seen the devastation caused. To witness a new sugar cane project arising on this land is not just an economic milestone; for me, it is a deeply emotional moment that honours legacy (Indian indentured labourers who came to Jamaica),” he stated.

Tropical Sugar Company Limited is backed by investors from Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, India, Ghana, and Jamaica.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness (second right) is joined by (from left) Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture; Anil Jami CEO Tropical Sugar Company; and Ragindra Persaud, charirman Tropical Sugar Company, in breaking ground for a new sugar processing plant in Lionel Town, Clarendon, on Tuesday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)