Scrap Iron Dealers’ Association: Export licences process too restrictive

The TT Scrap Iron Dealers’ Association (TTSIDA) has complained the new legislation and export licences application form placed on metal dealers are too restrictive.

During a press conference in Caroni on Thursday, TTSIDA’s consultant Kenny Plaza said the application form is asking for too much information including distinctive marks which they found offensive.

The association's president Allan Ferguson added, “I applied so long to get my export licence to move out the material that I have here because I cannot continue buying material and a lot of people cannot do it.”

He said the vice president of the TTSIDA, Erros Seejattan, has said his scrap yard has been full for a while and he had to stop buying.

Seeing this, Ferguson said many scrap yards had to shut down and if there were only 25 yards, that is plenty.

He said, “We are hurting and we must remain silent? I must stay silent?”

Ferguson added, “It’s either they take this industry from us or they want to get us out of the business and I am saying to you all, it will be a fight.”

He said, “We can’t have an industry working one today, one tomorrow, and when we speak, you (the government) want to be vex, when we ask for meeting, you want to refuse it, you don’t want to say anything, you want to keep us in limbo.”

He said there must be a unit created at the Trade and Industry Ministry and the protective services filled with knowledgeable people to make processes run smoothly.

He said it’s not about not wanting change in the industry, but the change must be one that the dealers can work with. “We understand that there are some people that want to come into this industry and cause a lot of problems, but we understand that putting all the necessary things in place will keep that in the past.”

Ferguson said he feels as though no one wants to take him seriously because of the way the people in the industry look or speak.

“We dealing with poor people each and every day and we are saying that we are ready to work with you all (the government) to make this industry work. We are not quarrelling with you all because we have nothing else to say, we are saying that we are hurting.”

There have been many challenges faced by dealers after the partial reopening over six weeks ago and Ferguson said he wanted to make it clear that everyone in the industry is frustrated.

Last year, the industry was under fire after the rise in stolen state infrastructure-copper from Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT), TT Electricity Commission (TTEC) lines and manhole covers from the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). In July of that same year, the 153-year-old bell tower of the St John’s Anglican Church in Petit Bourg was also stolen. After that ac,t Ferguson issued an apology to the nation and said the decision to place strong rules on the dealers and van drivers was taken to reduce theft.