Minister of Mining and Geology, Hon. Floyd Green, on Monday convened a high-level meeting of the newly established Ministry to begin implementation of the new economic direction set by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, for Jamaica’s mining and geology sector.

The meeting brought together Permanent Secretary (PS) Darlene Morrison, CD; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dermon Spence; senior officials; heads of agencies; and heads of divisions. It also served to formally welcome PS Morrison to the new Ministry and align the leadership around the Prime Minister’s mandate.

Prime Minister Holness has set four strategic priorities for the Ministry: minerals and fiscal reform; the establishment of a Jamaica Minerals Institute and a stronger geological survey; environmental protection and community safety; and the divestment of the Government’s interest in Clarendon Alumina Production Limited and its participation in Jamalco. Together, the priorities are intended to secure greater value for Jamaicans from the country’s mineral resources, strengthen the use of geological information in national development and reduce the State’s exposure to continuing commercial losses.

Minister Green welcomed PS Morrison to the Ministry, noting that her extensive experience in fiscal policy, economic management and the public service will be particularly valuable as the Ministry takes forward its new economic mandate.

“We are very pleased to welcome Permanent Secretary Morrison at what is an important point for the sector. There is a significant programme of work ahead of us and her experience will be an asset as we build out this new Ministry and move quickly to deliver on the mandate that has been set,” Minister Green said.

He said the establishment of a dedicated Ministry presents an opportunity to reposition a sector which, for generations, has been largely associated with bauxite and alumina.

“This is a reorientation of how we approach mining and geology in Jamaica. Bauxite and alumina remain extremely important, but Jamaica’s mineral wealth extends well beyond those traditional areas. We have limestone and industrial minerals, gold and copper prospects, rare earth elements and other critical minerals that require greater exploration, stronger technical capacity and a deliberate strategy to determine how Jamaica can derive greater value from them,” Minister Green said.

Under the first strategic priority, minerals and fiscal reform, the Ministry will move to accelerate value addition in Jamaica’s limestone industry through a Limestone Value-Addition Programme.

The programme will identify deposits suitable for higher-value products and establish an investment pipeline around high-purity limestone, calcium carbonate, pharmaceutical and food-grade products, industrial fillers, agricultural lime, construction products, glass and ceramics inputs and other downstream applications.

The Prime Minister has also directed the Ministry, working with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, to propose royalty, tax and, where applicable, incentive regimes suited to the economics of individual minerals. The framework is expected to encourage exploration and investment, allow Jamaica to share fairly in higher profits and strengthen the State’s ability to verify production, prices and payments.

The Ministry will also advance work on critical minerals, including prospects for gold, copper and rare earth elements, while examining the potential for the commercial recovery of valuable minerals from bauxite and its residues.

Particular attention will continue to be placed on the bauxite and alumina industry, including engagement with Alpart, Jamalco, Windalco and Discovery Bauxite Partners. The Ministry’s work with the industry will examine the protection of viable mining reserves, energy costs, logistics, residue management, technology, downstream value and opportunities for critical-mineral recovery.

The second strategic priority will strengthen Jamaica’s mineral and geological intelligence. The Prime Minister has directed the Ministry to bring to Cabinet a plan to transform the Jamaica Bauxite Institute into a Jamaica Minerals Institute, with the new entity and the Mines and Geology Division expected to use their technical expertise, laboratories and data to serve the wider minerals sector.

A national mineral resource assessment will also be pursued, beginning with limestone and aggregates and examining prospects for gold, copper, rare earth elements and other minerals where the evidence supports further exploration. The work will utilise existing geological records, modern mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveys, laboratory testing and targeted exploration to establish a clearer picture of Jamaica’s mineral resources and their commercial potential.

“We have tremendous geological expertise in Jamaica, but we have to make greater use of it. Geology must help us determine where the opportunities are for investment, but it must also help Government make better decisions about where and how we build,” Minister Green said.

Under the Prime Minister’s mandate, the national geological survey is expected to play a greater role in advising public authorities on proposed housing developments, critical facilities and road corridors, particularly where unstable slopes or the risk of ground collapse in limestone terrain may require further investigation.

The third strategic priority focuses on environmental protection and community safety, with stronger regulation, enforcement and accountability for the rehabilitation of mined-out lands.

The Ministry will move to implement the recommendations of the Auditor General and strengthen the regulatory framework, including establishing a public digital licensing system linked to the mineral cadastre and a national rehabilitation register. The register will account for mined-out areas, outstanding rehabilitation obligations, responsible operators, deadlines and the financial security available to complete the required work.

The fourth strategic priority is the divestment of the Government’s interest in Clarendon Alumina Production Limited and its participation in Jamalco. The Prime Minister has directed that the process seek to end or materially reduce taxpayers’ exposure to operating losses, capital calls and contingent liabilities.

The Ministry, working with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Attorney General’s Chambers, is to bring to Cabinet a transaction strategy grounded in independent valuation and legal due diligence. The process is also expected to address employment, continuity of viable operations, community commitments, rehabilitation and closure obligations while preserving Jamaica’s regulatory and taxing powers.

Minister Green told the leadership team that the establishment of the Ministry must translate into measurable changes in how the sector is managed.

“This cannot simply be a change in name or administrative structure. The Prime Minister has given us clear deliverables and timelines. We now have to organise ourselves around execution, with each agency and division understanding its role and being accountable for what it is expected to deliver,” he said.

Under the Prime Minister’s directive, an implementation plan is to be submitted within 30 days, identifying who will lead each priority, when key decisions are due and which reconstruction projects require geological advice first. The Ministry is also required to report on progress at 90 days and quarterly thereafter, along with providing an annual sector performance and investment report.