By Rishard Khan

Copyright newsday

The TT Scrap Iron Dealers’ Association (TTSIDA) is seeking an urgent meeting with the government to address issues threatening the industry. Chief among concerns, according to its president, Allan Ferguson, is the proliferation of what he calls an “international mafia” seeking to dominate the local market.

At a press conference at Computer Tech and Services Ltd in Couva on September 22, Ferguson accused the group of international traders of taking over local scrap yards and swaying supply-chain elements away from supporting TTSIDA member yards.

“We had more than 100 and something yards in TT and most of them were our members. Today, they start to take over the remaining yards in the industry so much that let me explain to you, if it have 25 (now)…it have 11 of them (under foreign control). They done gone to 11 yards, the foreigners.”

Of the remaining 14 yards, he estimated that only 12 were fully functional local operations.

He alleged that he was approached by an international businessman who offered to run his yard.

“They want to take over this industry!”

Ferguson said the former administration’s six-month ban in August 2022 and subsequent regulations for the industry saw difficult economic times befall some smaller yards, forcing them to sell out to the international dealers.

“When this new law come in place, you cannot operate with it because you have to wait so much of weeks to do business. You have to be in so much of financial problems that you would see yourself have to shut down your business and some of the people had to give the foreigners to take over and they would still get something, because you have no other choice.”

Ferguson chose not to divulge further information about the “mafia” when asked by Newsday, such as which countries they were from, but said they had been growing over the last year and a half.

The association’s vice president, Erros Seejatan, said the regulatory requirements for yards instituted in early 2023, following the ban, have significantly prolonged the process for export beyond the typical two weeks.

“Now, when we buy, you have to apply for an export licence. That licence takes on average one to two weeks. After you get the licence, notify the Ministry (of Trade) that you have to load, and then maybe you have to wait another two weeks to get an available inspector. Before you apply for the licence you have to buy your stock. Stock usually takes two weeks to buy. So we looking at six to eight weeks.”

He hopes the association and government could work together to resolve the issues.

Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah, president of the Trinidad Unified Farmers Association Shiraz Khan, Paideuo Learning Centre principal Judith De Verteuil, Network of NGOs for the advancement of women head Carol Noel and pastor Clive Dottin all expressed their support for the TTSIDA. They argued that the scrap-iron industry is critical to the local economy and significantly benefits the population.