The minister was speaking to Jamalco managers and employees at a luncheon organised as part of a tour of the company's facilities in Clarendon and Manchester earlier this month. The visit was designed to provide the minister with a deeper understanding of the company's operations.

Reduce production costs

He expressed the view that LNG would help reduce production costs by 23 per cent and energy costs by some 50 per cent.

During the tour, Robertson said he was particularly impressed with the measures Jamalco has taken to protect the environment, after viewing first-hand the almost completed Residue Disposal Area (RDA) #5 Uplift Project.

The RDA 5 Uplift Project has increased the capacity of the storage area from one to three years and involved raising its northern and western embankments. The storage facility has been constructed to offer maximum protection of the environment. The compacted clay liner and High-Density Polyethylene liner form an impermeable barrier on the floor and slopes of the RDA.