The
country spends billions per year on waste management through the National Solid
Waste Management Authority, and with the introduction of this player in the
industry, it will help us to cut our costs, preserve the environment, and open
up doors for employment
Chairman
of the St James Parish Council and Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris, June
2012AD
Only
in Jamaica folks, do we have waste and fail to see the fact that it’s really
money. The Canadians again to our rescue, as Panther Corporation of Canada has
decided to invest US$26 million in a rapid build-out of a completely Solar-powered
Recycling Plant as stated in the article “Cashing
in on waste”, published Sunday June 24 by Sheena
Gayle, Sunday Gleaner Writer, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
That’s
right folks; Panther is more than just a brand of condoms! To be honest I
though that’s what they were coming to Jamaica to make. In a way, what they are
planning to do will be just as profitable, though, as in much the same way sex
is unavoidable, so is the generation of Waste.
The
Solar-powered Recycling Plant will begin operation by September 2012AD,
effectively three (3) months after this article first broke light, pun intended
deliberately….and just ripe for my blog.
They
began the process of hiring people in August 2012AD, initially two hundred
(200) core employee via a curious employment process – demonstrating your
commitment to a Recycling Project for one day pro bono as noted in the article “Recycling
company seeking 200 workers in western Jamaica”
Published Tuesday August 28, 2012 2:04 pm, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
This
curious employment strategy, which is focused mainly on the people who live in
Western Jamaica, is best explained by CEO and Founder Michael Mosgrove quote:
“The one-day voluntary clause that has been attached to this employment drive
is to observe how committed applicants are to the process of Recycling and to
the job that they are applying for. We have various Recycling-based jobs
available as well as administrative jobs so persons are encouraged to submit a
detailed resume and we will match your skill sets with the jobs we have”.
A
very clever way of matching skills and demonstrating a true commitment to
changing Jamaica via spreading the Gospel of Recycling!
Interestingly
enough, aside from generating revenue and the ability to sell back the excess Electricity
to the JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company) Grid via the Net billing
Facility now in place since May 2012AD as noted in my blog
article entitled “Phillip
Paulwell makes Net Billing official with 11 licenses issued - JPS Co invited
via Mavado's Come Round a Mi Yard”, it will also
generated approximately five thousand (5000) jobs both directly and indirectly.
The
GOJ (Government of Jamaica) and especially the Chairman of the St James Parish
Council and Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris were definitely showing their
love for the FDI (Foreign Direct Investor) coming to Jamaica by welcoming
Panther Corporation of Canada with open arms, quote: “We are committed to
keeping the city clean, creating jobs, and increasing the level of foreign
investments in the city. This represents a first for the parish of St James,
which is why the council took a unanimous decision to allow this development to
go through”.
In
essence, the Panther Corporation of Canada’s plan is to make money from
Jamaica’s inability to manage its waste via Recycling, an idea suggested to the
NSWMA (National Solid Waste Management Authority) in my previous blog
article entitled “NSWMA
can benefit from coming Lithium Demand from All-Electric Vehicle - The Beverly Hillbillies go Electric”.
At
least my prediction of a renaissance in Scrap Metal due to the demand for
Aluminum to make All-Electric Vehicles as prophesied in my previous blog
article entitled “US
Automobile Industry Resurgence and Jamaica's Bauxite Industry - Scrap Metal
Industry Renaissance” is coming to pass!
This
as the GOJ has given the green light towards Scrap Metal return with four (4)
Scrap Yards already being short listed as checking areas for legitimate Scrap
Metal Dealers as stated in the article “Four
sites shortlisted for scrap metal trade resumption”
, published Friday, September 07, 2012, The Jamaica Observer.
A
boon to those involved in the Scrap Metal Industry as it is a US$100 million
money earner, despite the looming possibility of the trade encouraging Scrap Metal
theft, based on the recent attempt by armed Scrap Metal thieves to break into
JPS Co Metal Scrap Yard on Saturday
August 25th 2012 as stated in the article “Armed
scrap metal thieves attack JPS”, published Sunday,
August 26, 2012, The
Jamaica Observer.
It
however, is a death knell to the Telecoms Industry suffering from theft of its
Copper Cables which has a direct impact on their ability to provide service as
noted in blog
article entitled “LIME
and the Ban on Copper Exports - Scrap Metal Industry's Black Swan”.
The return of Scrap Metal Industry may soon generate more headlines about Scrap
Metal Dealers stealing metal from GOJ, Telecoms Providers and JPS Co
Infrastructure.
Thus
this new entrant into the business of collecting what we Jamaicans see as waste
[Recycling] in order to make profit should not come as surprise, especially
with their focus on Recycling all forms of waste. Their plans are simple
enough: 30,000 square foot modular facility in Retirement, St James, close to
the Retirement Dump, the source of their raw material, with the intention to Recycle
both organic and Inorganic waste:
1. HDPE
Plastic
2. PETE
Plastic
3. Paper
4. Styrofoam
5. Rubber
6. Wood
chips
7. Rare
Earth Metal from RDA (Residue Disposal Area)
8. Organic
Waste i.e. food
9. Sewage
10. Water
11. Rainwater
12. Oxalate
from Process at Bauxite Companies e.g. JAMALCO and Ewarton
13. Cooking
Oil
14. Electronic
Waste
15. Printer
Cartridges
CEO
and Founder Michael Mosgrove in a telephone interview with The Jamaica Gleaner,
expressed excitement with the prospect of coming to Jamaica, quote: “It was a
perfect fit for Jamaica and for us because of the sunlight. In addition, the
demand for Recycling in Jamaica is huge right now”.
The
logic behind the choice to go Solar is obvious, as Jamaica’s abnormally high Electricity
Rates and lack of a Liberalized Electricity Production and Distribution Market
means that the sole producer of Electricity on the island, JPS Co (Jamaica
Public Service Company) has no competition. Thus their high Electricity Rates
act as the real deterrant to doing Recycling in Jamaica profitably.
This
is evident from the comments of the Canadian investor Michael Mosgrove, quote:
“The Recycling centre will be able to run on 600 volts on the Solar system for
eight hours a day without grid power. The Solar system cost US$4.2 million and
will pay for itself in six years. It is a completely green facility and will be
the first of its kind in the world”.
Strides
are being made on a Legal front, with the recent victory handed to CURE
(Citizens United for the Reduction of Electricity Rates) by Supreme Court
Justice Brian Sykes against JPS Co and the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) as
chronicles in my blog
article entitled “Justice
Brian Sykes says JPS Co exclusive license invalid - Energy Sector
Liberalization CURE and Bourne Legacy for Phillip Paulwell”
but nothing solid, as JPS Co seeks to appeal this ruling.
It’s
also good to remember that competition in the Energy Sector in the form of
Canadian Solamon Corp of Canada and American based Green Energy RG as note in
my blog
article entitled “Solamon
Energy Corp & Green RG invest in Jamaica's Alternative Energy Future - Let
the Cheaper Energy Hunger Games for Latin America Begin”
is coming, albeit their development appears to be moving at a glacial pace.
Thus,
until Electricity Distribution Liberalization is achieved, to operate
cost-effectively, Panther Corporation of Canada has to have secured markets for
their Recycled material as well as lower inputs independent of the JPS Grid via
its US$4.2 million investment in Solar Power. The mere fact that they have
apparently factored in their Investment in Solar Power, despite its
considerable cost with plans of
recouping their investment in their own power system in the next six (6) years
indicate their long-term commitment to Jamaica.
The
GOJ needs to do its part by implementing an Environmental Tax Legislation on
Plastic and other Organic Waste. This could then be used to provide funding to
Local and Foreign investors in Organic and Inorganic Waste Recycling as well as
being an incentive for many Jamaicans to return their plastic bottles just as
they do Glass bottles instead of throwing them away in gullies.
In
addition, it would also encourage increased local investment in Recycling other
things than Metal and for persons selling Plastic and other easy-to-Recycle
material to go into collecting and Recycling to supply the Panther Corporation
Plant. It would help investors in Recycling offset the costs of Recycling
Plastic, which is already in glut on the world market as noted in the article “RECYCLE
WORRY - Plastic bottles flood Jamaica”, Published Sunday
September 2, 2012, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
Even
if the GOJ refuses to do this, Panther Corporation of Canada can still set up
Branded Recycling Bins and even ATM (Automated Teller Machines) styled Vending
Machines in Stores and Business places. These ATM (Automated Teller Machines)
styled Vending Machines would pay you cash or Mobile Phone Credit from Telecom
Provider Digicel or Telecom Provider LIME for sorting and disposing of Recycled
materials.
This
is much as is the case in Beijing China, where the Central Government
encourages Recycling in exchange for Subway Tokens as noted in the article “Beijing
introduces Recycling banks that pay subway credits for bottles”,
published Wednesday 4 July 2012 13.11 BST by Jonathan Watts,
The UK Guardian.
After
all, Telecom Provider Digicel had spearheaded a mobile phone Recycling project
back in August 2009AD as stated in the article “Digicel
launches phone Recycling programme” published Thursday,
August 13, 2009, The
Jamaica Observer. They also launched a Solar Powered
mobile Phone when they were in El Salvador and Honduras as stated in
“DIGICEL TO PROVIDE LOW-COST, SOLAR POWERED MOBILE PHONE”,
published Wednesday, May 06, 2009, The Jamaica Observer,
albeit mainly due to the lack of Power Outlets in those regions.
Telecom
Provider Digicel is also nearing the completion of its fully Solar Powered
Headquarters off Ocean Boulevard in the heart of Downtown, Kingston as stated
in my blog
article entitled “Digicel
adds on Green Power to future Corporate Building - Petula Clarke's Downtown
Global Warming Crisis” and my Geezam blog
article entitled “Digicel
Jamaica’s Alternative Energy Future – Increased Electricity Bills and Energy
Sector Opportunities collide”.
So
a partnership with Panther Corporation of Canada to sell more phone Credit at
ATM themed Vending Machines with Panther Corporation of Canada collecting
Revenue from the Waste to maintain these Solar Powered (???) Vending Machines
is a strong possibility in the future.
Panther
Corporation of Canada’s investment in Jamaica is The Apparition (2012)
of Jamaica’s inability to properly manage its Waste Disposal at its various
Dumps islandwide. With the right connections in places and lowered operating costs
thanks to Solar Power, Panther Corporation of Canada will be in Jamaica as long
as Jamaicans produce waste, regardless of whether or not the GOJ plans to
implement legislation to incentivize the Recycling of Organic and Inorganic
Waste.
