Ellis Hazel, said the current cement crisis in the Caribbean “did not just creep up on” the region. “It was showing signs that we would have a crisis, especially leading up to World Cup 2007,” Hazel told the communications unit in the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts/Nevis. Appearing on  ‘National Echo’ on Monday, Hazel said a number of the private sector bodies in the Caribbean have approached the Caricom secretariat for the “green light to go ahead and import cement from non-Caricom producing states.”

“One local investor is looking at the opportunity to install a bulk cement facility so that we can bring in cement in St. Kitts in bulk shipment and have a critical storage of that cement available to service the building sector in St. Kitts, in Nevis and within the neighbouring islands,” Hazel said. “That is the proposal that is being actively reviewed by the government of St. Kitts/Nevis and the investors are actively pursuing this,” Hazel, declining to give specifics at this time, said.