Industry and Commerce Minister, Karl Samuda, has sought to assure the nation that the shortage of cement on the market has been alleviated as the Government continues to source supplies from Cuba.

Mr. Samuda also dispelled reports that the Government had cancelled the agreement with Cuba for the importation of cement.

"I don't know who has spread this rumour about us cancelling the agreement with Cuba, we have not done any such thing, what we have done is engaged ourselves in a discussion as to the price and we are in negotiations," he said in an interview with The Gleaner Power 106 News yesterday.

The minister said the cost of shipping has affected the price, but this was being discussed with the Cuban Ambassador.

"We are just simply ensuring that the product can land in Jamaica at a price that would make it sufficiently competitive to encourage persons to purchase the product," he said.

Last week, Mr. Samuda told Parliament that the Cuban Cement Company had offered to ship 5,000 tonnes of cement per month to Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samuda said Caribbean Cement Company Limited was in the process of ensuring that there were adequate supplies on the market.