A shipment of 5000t of cement is scheduled to leave for the island from Cuba
on October 12 to help ease demand for the product, Industry and
Commerce Minister Karl Samuda said yesterday. This will form the first
monthly shipment of a total 40,000t from  Cuba.

Mr. Samuda, who spoke at the post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House,
said the shipment is part of a deal with the Cuban government. He said it
was one of the steps being taken to ensure the construction sector is fully
supplied, heading into the Christmas season.

The minister disclosed that CCCL would bring in shipments totalling 18,000t
from Colombia and Dominica. This week, 9000t will arrive from  Colombia,
while 9000t will arrive from Dominica by month end.

Last month, the management of CCCL said it was unable to meet the monthly
demand from consumers for 83,000t of cement. CCCL’s marketing manager,
Alice Hyde, said Hurricane Dean, which struck Jamaica on August 19, had
severely hampered production at the company’s Rockfort plant. Ms. Hyde said
the company’s maximum monthly output was 75,000t.