By Kate Chappell

KINGSTON (Reuters] – Rusal, a Russian aluminum company, has been steadily paying Jamaicans as part of a 2021 arrangement to repay the production taxes that it owes government. This is according to Audley Shaw from Jamaican Transport and Mine Minister.

Shaw stated that Rusal has so far paid around 45% of a $35 million bauxite production levy owed to Kingston.

He said, “They are current with payment.” They are consistent.”

Rusal originally paid 40% to the government last fall as part the 2021 arrangement, then agreed that he would make thirty monthly payments, starting November 2021.

Shaw claimed that “they have been honoring this agreement”.

Russia invaded Ukraine in March, which Russia calls “a special military operations,” and this prompted a series of international sanctions on Moscow and Russian-based businesses.

Rusal has not been placed under any sanctions by Jamaican or American authorities, however the company warns that Western sanctions may be detrimental to its international business projects.

Rusal, which is also the world’s biggest aluminum producer, operates a Jamaican production facility for bauxite, alumina, and its subsidiary WINDALCO.

WINDALCO boasts a 502,000-tonne annual production capability of alumina, and 4,000,000 tons of bauxite according to its website. Globally, Rusal produced 8.2 Million Tonnes of Alumina in 2020. This is a crucial raw material for aluminum production.

Oleg Deripaska (Russian aluminum tycoon) was Rusal’s founding father. He has been approved by the United States and European Union. Deripaska previously requested peace.

Rio Tinto, one of the most important aluminum producers in the world (NYSE:), stated that Rusal sanctions would lead to “pretty significant disruption” for the global aluminum market.