In his contribution to the sectoral debate on Tuesday, July 21, the minister mentioned that 1,263 hectares of mined-out land in Manchester have been transferred to the commissioner of lands. The land will be used to develop housing facilities, industries, create new jobs and increase agricultural production. This, he said, is in keeping with the Government's policy of sequential land use.

Minister Boderick said that if mined-out land development is sped up, displaced bauxite workers and other Jamaicans will have access to land. He noted that it takes critical situations to bring about adjustment in living arrangements and land reform in particular.

The collapse of the bauxite sector earlier this year saw national revenues moving from annual gross earnings of US$1.3 billion for the 2008/09 financial year to a projected US$370 million for the 2009/10 period.

A number of persons in the bauxite sector have lost their jobs due to the global recession. However, the Government, through its mined-out land projects, is hoping to cushion the heavy burdens felt by the rural poor.

In June, the Government acquired approximately 5,514.65 hectares of certified rehabilitated land in Manchester and St Ann.