By Sue-Ann Wayow
GOVERNMENT’s plan is to bring in a massive foreign company in Trinidad and Tobago to takeover the scrap iron industry.
This is the claim being made by President of the Trinidad and Tobago Scrap Iron Dealers Association (TTSIDA) Allan Ferguson.
During a press conference on Monday, Ferguson said, “It has a methanol plant in Point Lisas, that is the first methanol plant in Trinidad, that is due to cut down soon. This is where they want to bring them in to start. When they come to Trinidad, we can’t compete with them. They will come and take over that and while they are coming and setting up and while they are setting up, we will be able to do nothing.”
He was referring to Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MHTL) one of the largest methanol producers in the world with five methanol plants located at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.
Rules and regulations will be for the benefit of a few and the majority of the smaller yards would have to be closed down he added.
“Ninety per cent of the yards will have to close down because they would not be able to reach the standard that they want them to reach based on the rules and regulations,” Ferguson said.
The government was attempting to muzzle the lower class by not allowing them to move up in the ranks of society, he said.
Ferguson said, “When you are this colour that I am, black, they make it very difficult to own something in Trinidad and Tobago… When they see poor people have something, this is where they want to take it from us.”
The scrap iron industry provided meals for many who previously could not afford to eat.
“Any one person who has nothing to eat could come off the street get someone to help them with a van and go and search and find something to eat for their family by going and selling scrap material,” Ferguson said.
He also questioned what measures the authorities were putting in place to deal with the increasing theft of material owned by other major companies including the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
Ferguson mentioned that such theft put the lives of other citizens in danger.
Last week, some 40,000 persons in Siparia and Penal were without water following theft of electrical cable from WASA’s Thicke Village Booster Station.
There have also been several reports of persons being killed while stealing wire.
TTSIDA had called for a temporary ban on copper export which Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said he supported.
However, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon had said such a ban was not being considered at this time.
