A Brief History of the 1970s Bauxite Levy

[Historian]

Source: The Sunday Observer newspaper, May 18, 2014
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...-bag-_16677626

The increased earnings from the levy propelled the revenue from US$19.2 million in 1973 to a whopping US$180 million in 1974. But the levy also moved the cost of Jamaican bauxite from being the cheapest to the most expensive worldwide.
The companies began increasing their investments in other bauxite-producing countries, and Jamaica consequently lost its position near the top of the ratings as a world-leading producer.
Forty years on, note the comments made by Dr Davis and economist Dennis Morrison quoted in The Gleaner of May 14 that Jamaica has little to show from the bauxite levy, and that the country suffered through ill-fated projects and misspending of the bauxite levy funds which were lodged to the Capital Development Fund (CDF).

[Hortical]

We should thank Michael Manley for his leadership in this effort!

Passed the closed Good Year factory in Morant Bay the other day and I was reminded of the union's part in driving this industry from the island.

[Rockman]

Hortical,we took a beaten on other commodities during that period and that was not because of overpricing.
Why ignore the root?