Abdulah slams scrap-iron ban: Economic crime against the people

MOVEMENT for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah described Government's decision to close the scrap iron industry for six months as an economic crime against the people who depend on it for their livelihood.

He demanded the immediate reopening of the industry.

Abdulah made these statements when he met with scrap-iron workers at Temple Street, Claxton Bay, on Thursday.

"This shutting down (of the scrap iron industry) has major implications for thousands and thousands of people in Trinidad and Tobago. It is an economic crime against the people of TT."

He said the MSJ was in solidarity with them because the Government has not done its work.

"What the Government has done is to put thousands of people on the breadline. That is wrong. That is unjust.

"We are saying to the Rowley Government: Restart the industry now."

Abdulah warned there could be serious consequences when people's backs are against the wall, bread has been taken from their mouths and governments fail to listen.

"What do you expect people to do, other than to take protest action in defence of their interests? People who are powerless can only demonstrate their power through mass, disciplined action which we insist should be peaceful."

Abdulah said the industry was vital. But he lamented that for the last 11 years, successive UNC and PNM government have done nothing to regulate and preserve it.

"This industry earns foreign exchange for this country because every month, 5,000 containers are exported from TT with scrap metal. That is foreign exchange for the country at a time when the country does not have foreign exchange."

Abdulah argued that if Government had done things such as stopping copper exports three months ago "then the rest of the industry could be running all now and mankind could be continuing to work to put food on the table for themselves and their families."

He accused Government of not implementing measures to properly regulate the industry "to make sure that the few people, just the handful of people who engage in illegal activity, could be dealt with."

He recalled the Scrap Iron Dealers Association had submitted regulatory recommendations to Government. These included special stickers to identify legitimate scrap-iron dealers and receipts to show scrap iron was legitimately purchased.

What is the MSJ prepared to do in support of scrap iron workers if Government did not lift the ban or extended it?

Abdulah said the association has announced it would stage a motorcade from the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba to Port of Spain on August 24.

"We are calling upon everybody to support that motorcade, because that kind of protest action might show the Government that they have made a fundamental error and they need to change their position."

While the MSJ cannot take legal action on the issue, Abdulah said he was aware that the association was considering its legal options.