Minister of Industry, Commerce & Investment Karl Samuda said that 5,000t of cement would arrive in Jamaica from Cuba within the next two weeks, to ease the current shortage, reports local press.

Representatives from the Ministry, the Airports Authority of Jamaica and the Port Authority of Jamaica visited Cuba a week earlier to finalize arrangements for imports of 40,000t of cement, which will arrive on a phased basis.

He added that Caribbean Cement Co. Ltd (CCCL), the sole local manufacturer, has arranged to import 9,000t of cement from Colombia and 9,000t from the Dominican Republic. The demand for cement between now and year end is estimated at 245,000t.