JIS Article - November 4, 2026
 |
| Minister Floyd Green. |
The new Ministry of Mining and Geology will be tasked with transitioning Jamaica from being a primary producer of raw minerals, limestone and aggregates towards value-added production, says Portfolio Minister Hon. Floyd Green.
“We want to see our high-value chemical-grade limestone being made in Jamaica into things like toothpaste, into antacids, into other things,” he said, noting that crafting an incentive regime to attract investors will be crucial.
Minister Green was speaking to JIS News at the Tourism Agricultural Opportunities Forum held at the AC Hotel by Marriott, Kingston.
The new Ministry, which officially began operations on Monday, November 2, will place greater focus on securing value form Jamaica’s minerals as Government repositions mining to drive economic growth and national development.
He said that having a dedicated Ministry will significantly accelerate the pace of project implementation and sectoral reform, including expediting implementation of the National Minerals Policy 2017–2030 to optimise Jamaica’s returns from mining and quarrying.
It will also provide the administrative setup needed to complete key economic transactions, including accelerating the sale of the Government’s shares in Jamalco to remove the asset from State liabilities.
Minister Green, who retains responsibility for Agriculture and Fisheries said that a major focus will be the creation of modern fiscal regimes for non-traditional minerals, including gold, copper, and rare earth elements extracted from bauxite residue.
“Even though we’ve done work on rare earth over the years, we haven’t developed a fiscal regime around it. Now that the world is looking and so many people are coming and calling, we have to be proactive and be ahead of that. So, I think this new structure helps in that,” Minister Green said.
Central to the operational shift is the addition of Darlene Morrison as Permanent Secretary. She previously served as Financial Secretary.
“I know the capacity has been strengthened by bringing in a Permanent Secretary who has a vast amount of experience, especially in terms of fiscal matters, fiscal management. A lot of what we have to deal with at mining now is a new fiscal regime,” he pointed out.
Minister Green highlighted that the separation of administrative duties also provides crucial support to the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
He noted that, with a Permanent Secretary focusing exclusively on agriculture and fisheries, the Ministry is better positioned to manage ongoing climate resilience initiatives after the sector suffered back-to-back major storms and is undergoing one of the most severe droughts.
Editor's Note
This could give the former financial secretary a great opportunity to make something of the mining sector. It seems that there will be so much to do that she will not even remember the Finance Ministry.
_____________________
Click here and learn about the exciting gadget, Alexa. Learn how to turn on your house lights using your phone from anywhere in the world. Purchase an Alexa today.
Keep abreast of the news and information in the world. Bark Di Trute, a Jamaican blog, is packed with accurate information. Click the following link and get information at your fingertips. WhatsApp link is:
_________________
_________________
Subscribe Now!
Without your support, Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.
You can view the blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar to see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles. There is also a weather link, which you can use to track hurricanes.
_____________________
No comments:
Post a Comment
Blogs will be forwarded to national leaders, business leaders and others who might need to see such blogs.