00:00The T&T Scrap Iron Dealers Association says the last administration destroyed the industry,
00:06and at this point only 25% of its members are operating.
00:11Its president, Alan Ferguson, understands that the UNC administration is relatively new,
00:16but he says scrap metal dealers are near the end of their rope,
00:19and they need the help of the government to rebuild the industry.
00:22He provides an update from a meeting the association held with Trade Minister Satyakama Maharaj in June.
00:30What I can say that the government indicated to us is that it will increase the inspectors,
00:37so the loading could increase.
00:41You hear what I say?
00:43What they recommended is that it will be going to Cabinet in the next two weeks.
00:51So this week, a week might pass, and we might probably have one more week for it to increase.
00:57Some of the other recommendations were a body to monitor and evaluate the industry,
01:03roving inspectors, the installation of CCTV cameras, and lengthening of export licenses to around two years.
01:13Despite a continued ban on copper exports, Ferguson is claiming it hasn't solved the issue of the theft of copper cables
01:20belonging to state entities like TSTT.
01:23He says, interestingly, a check conducted indicated that there are presently no licenses to export copper.
01:30Copper is leaving this country and exporting.
01:34How are they doing it? I don't know.
01:36Every single day, I am told that people are still buying TSTT copper and stolen other materials.
01:50And going to the same players, they know themselves.
01:53I don't need to explain to them.
01:55Ferguson would only hint that these exporters are Asians operating in the country.
01:59We check to check all the warehouse.
02:02All the warehouse is empty at a certain time.
02:06So no copper being stocked up in no place.
02:10I'm talking about the people who are buying it from the small men.
02:13None of them have been charged.
02:15Because if they wasn't buying, the small men would not be going to steal it and take it.
02:20But because you have a market for it, that's why they're stealing it.
02:23TTC defers that the industry will again be shut down if governments and law enforcement do not take swift and effective action.
02:33Nonetheless, he's waiting to see if what he heard about a possibility of an ease in the copper industry in about two weeks' time is more than just hearsay.
02:43Because all I get information that the copper industry, it might have some special license for the people who have copper for the longest while to export it.
02:53But in the meantime, people are exporting copper to all this country.
02:57Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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