(Jamaica Gleaner) The government says it is not aware of any plans by alumina company, UC Rusal to close its Ewarton operations in St. Catherine.
Last week Opposition Spokesman on mining, J.C Hutchinson, called for the mining minister, Phillip Paulwell to investigate reports that UC Rusal was moving heavy equipment from its Kirkvine Plant in Manchester out of Jamaica to Guyana.
Hutchinson said such actions could indicate a plan by the company to withdraw from Jamaica.
Today, Paulwell noted that the Kirkvine operation is currently closed, but that the government does not know of plans by the company to also close its Ewarton facilities.
Paulwell confirmed that the company is in fact in the process of moving equipment to Guyana, but he said those pieces of equipment have not been in use since 2009.
Paulwell says he will be touring the Ewarton plant on Friday to get first-hand information on the matter.
