Western Bureau:

Despite the ominous clouds hanging over the bauxite sector, Prime Minister Bruce Golding says there is still a silver lining and is urging players in the sector to prepare themselves to embrace a rebound.

Golding, who was speaking at yesterday's 15th International Bauxite and Alumina seminar in Montego Bay, St James, also reminded the more than 200 international delegates that when the current global financial crisis is over, the rules of engagement in the sector will have to change.

"Of one thing we can be assured: the aluminium industry is not going to die. Like most other things, the current global crisis had a beginning and it will certainly have an end," said Golding.

New economic landscape

"Aluminium will remain one of the foremost metals in demand, second only to steel. It is important to transportation, packaging, construction and the manufacturing of consumer durables as a light-weight, lasting, environmentally-friendly and recyclable material and will not diminish."

To stress his confidence, Golding further noted that, when the current crisis is over, Jamaica will find a landscape in which production cost and consumer affordability will have to be more closely synchronised.

"In a word, efficiency will have to be the industry's mantra," he said.

The conference, which is being attended by close to 300 bauxite sector players from all across the world, is geared towards repositioning the industry to meet the challenges being faced in the world economy.

adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com