The principles of a Caribbean Single Market (CSM) prevents the Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) Group from maintaining cement supplies to Barbados and Trinidad while Jamaica undergoes a severe shortage, says chairman and CEO of GraceKennedy Limited, Douglas Orane.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based TCL Group is the only producer of cement in Caricom. It manufactures the essential building material through its Arawak Cement Company subsidiary in Barbados, Caribbean Cement Company in Jamaica and Trinidad Cement Limited in Trinidad, together had about a 2.3 million tonnes production capacity in March last year.

"If we have been in the CSM, since the first of January, how is it that cement, which is freely available in Barbados and Trinidad, is not flowing here to meet our crisis and particularly if you have one company which owns all three cement plants?" Mr. Orane asked. The head of the Jamaican conglomerate was speaking at a press briefing at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on Friday.

Caribbean Cement Company’s public relations manager Lystra Sharp said the company was producing 3000tpd while the market requirement was 4000tpd.

A crisis has emerged in the construction industry as the island was undergoing an unprecedented construction boom which is linked to a handful of major construction projects all under way at the same time. These projects have been prioritised for cement supplies, resulting in a cumulative reported shortfall of 250,000t

This shortfall has caused massive job losses and severe economic hardship. "The way the single market works is, if you have a shortage of cement in Manchester, then cement should come from St. Elizabeth and Trelawny to fill the gap," he said. But, "We don’t see it occurring." The TCL Group should be delivering cement equally within the market so that it is distributed equitably to all the territories, Mr. Orane stated. This also offers an opportunity for GraceKennedy to start importing cement, Mr. Orane said. While withholding details, he said suppliers have been contacted, "To find ways to get cement into this market as quickly as possible."