KEVON FELMINE
Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Scrap Iron Dealers’ Association (TTSIDA) president Allan Ferguson is unsure whether he wants the industry to return to copper exports, fearing thefts will bring another shutdown.
Speaking to the media following a meeting at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in Port-of-Spain,on Friday, Ferguson said he instead wants temporary exemptions for dealers who already have a stock of copper at their yards to be able to export them.
This way, he said they can recover the investments made before the Government placed the industry on a six-month ban following rampant theft and vandalism in 2022.
The Government implemented the ban on scrap iron and copper exports on August 12, 2022, following a spike in thefts, especially on infrastructure belonging to the Water and Sewerage Authority and the Telecommunications Services (TSTT). Thieves even targeted churches, schools, and homes.
In February 2023, the MTI reopened the industry with the partial proclamation of the Scrap Metal Act, 2022. It meant dealers could resume the exportation of scrap metal, except copper. However, it required exporters to apply for a licence through the MTI.
“I do not think I want this industry shut down again because we open back the copper, and people start back stealing and thieving and all kinds of problems. I do not want that for the association. I do not want that for the industry. There are people who have copper already. If they can get an exemption to export the copper they had since last year, they could get their cash back and start buying and resume business,” Ferguson said.
He said TSTT is clearing out copper from its infrastructure, and the Government was waiting for this to end before allowing them to resume copper exports.
He said parties have to work out the issues before there is any resumption.
However, he does not think it will stop all copper theft, saying people continue to steal worldwide because of greed.
Ferguson said while the meeting with MTI officials was cordial and professional, they could not assure the TTSIDA that it would extend dealers’ licences.
Therefore, he said dealers would need to apply for a new licence, which requires approval from the Town and Country Planning Division, the Environmental Management Authority, the Police Service and other agencies.
He said dealers should apply before February 14, just in case there is no extension.
“If they do not give us an extension, our applications will be inside to enable us to get our license to operate our scrap yards. It is something we are really surprised about because we thought we would have an extension because of the time we have now to apply and go to the EMA and Town and Country. You know we live in Trinidad & Tobago, and with these agencies, the time it takes to get through with documents from them,” Ferguson said.
Moving forward, Ferguson said theTTSIDA has many plans and wants to get stakeholders together to deal with the excessive documents needed to get an export licence. He said it causes many problems for dealers and takes too long.