The T&T Scrap Iron Dealers Association is alleging the copper is still leaving the country and benefitting a few people who are acting illegally.
The Association is expecting that there will be an increase in the number of inspectors soon, as it calls on the government to help the industry recover.
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.
Be the first to comment