WHILE Caribbean Cement Company has declined to comment on the Government’s decision to allow five firms to import cement to help meet local demand, two major private players in the construction sector welcomed the move.

Norman Horne, executive chairman of ARC Manufacturing Limited, said the move was necessary as part of an overall push to stabilise and boost the cement supply.

Horne pointed out that even when burying the dead in Jamaica cement is a necessary product, as he underscored the importance of the product.

“There is a shortage of cement in Jamaica, and the primary supplier — which is Carib Cement — had been severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa [October 28, 2025] and other weather-related issues. Apart from the hurricane, the demand for cement has increased,” said Horne.

“I believe we are seeing a nine to 15 per cent increase in cement consumption. Cement is an important part of the infrastructure of the construction industry in Jamaica,” Horne told the
Jamaica Observer on Friday as he applauded the Government for the move.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill said cement importation approval was granted to the five firms for a six-month period.

According to Hill, Jamaica Logistics International Limited and Hard Rock Cement were approved to bring in 100,000 tonnes each. Tank-Weld Metals and Island Concrete Limited were approved to import 60,000 each, while Gore Developments Limited was approved to import 20,000.

Hill also noted that authorised cement importer, the Buying House Company Limited, had its quota expanded by 150,000 tonnes.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Senator Aubyn Hill, who is minister of industry, investment and commerce, said the importation approvals were granted to the five firms for a six-month period. Naphtali Junior

Buying House has been an authorised importer of cement since 2006.

For Horne, while the Government’s decision is a correct one, he hopes that once the market is stabilised Carib Cement will go back to being the primary supplier of the product.

He pointed out that Carib Cement has made substantial investment in Jamaica’s cement production and manufacturing.

“Jamaica needs to bank on our own raw material which support not only Jamaican labour but extended support for Jamaican families and financial support and adding to Jamaica’s gross domestic product. We are going to need more production and less import,” Horne said in hopes that the market will be steadied.

In the meantime, president of the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica Richard Mullings told the
Observer that the organisation welcomes the additional competition and supply of cement to the market.

Mullings said, based on the announcement by Hill the additional importation will not be long term, he expressed concern that he he not heard of any measures to ensure a steady supply of cement in the extended future.

“We still have questions about what is the long-term plan to guarantee sustainable, consistent, and resilient supply. We have written to the minister about what mechanisms will be put in place to monitor whoever is giving quotas and market share [so as] to ensure that they meet the supply and maintain readiness to meet the supply so we don’t have any repeat of past shortages,” Mullings said.

He argued that the Government should have been looking out for local contractors “by implementing and doing its part in the margin of preference that is on the books for local contractors that is supposed to protect our market share in the local economy”.