By Sue-Ann Wayow
FED up with what they say are Government’s inactions to revive the scrap iron industry effectively, dealers and collectors will be planning a massive protest to voice their concerns.
President of the Trinidad and Tobago Scrap Iron Dealers Association (TTSIDA) Allan Ferguson declared that that day “will be a day that this country will never forget.”
Ferguson, on Wednesday, called on all citizens to join with them in the cause as he spoke at TTSIDA’s 2023 stakeholder symposium held at Signature Hall in Chaguanas.
He said, “We will state what we could do and we will call on all civil society people, all trade unions, all different organisations, political parties, everybody to join with us in this …”
“Enough is enough” Ferguson declared.
He told attendees, “What I want you to understand is that we must not allow them (government) to mamaguy us again and tell us nothing.”
Ferguson also lashed out at government for not assisting his members since last year August when the government announced an official ban on the exportation of scrap metal for six months.
He said not one member received either a food card or a state grant to assist them financially.
“We have all these resources in Trinidad and Tobago, it belongs to everybody in Trinidad, it don’t belong to one set of people. And my members are suffering. I was crying, I was bawling for my members and you never come out and help us and I have to say now that you good? I cannot say you good. I have to say that you are bad and that you don’t care about us,” Ferguson said.
The symposium allowed for persons to voice their concern.
One woman, Nancy Pierre a van collector was in tears as she spoke, saying she has been living on handouts for months with no financial support from Government.
“This is very, very hard for me. I see my mortgage and I struggle to go every months. Somebody has to get up and do something for us, more stronger and more powerful as a family,” she cried.
With mounting bills and the closure of the banning of sale to international sources, Pierre said nobody was hearing the cries of the many like her who were suffering.
‘Government want earnings for themselves’
Attending the symposium was political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah and chairman of the Congress of the People (CoP) Lonsdale Williams.
Williams speaking during the open forum segment said, “There is power in numbers. Every individual, find members in their community and pull them together. Mr Ferguson has already indicated he is willing to lead a peaceful protest if that is what is needed. I can assure you, if you get 10,15,000 people, standing in one location probably not even saying anything, the government is going to take note.”
Williams said with the upcoming local government elections, central government would not want to have to deal with such a large demonstration.
“They don’t want to see people coming together to force them,” he said.
The scrap iron/recycling industry was a “multibillion-dollar global industry,” Williams said.
“In Trinidad and Tobago, it is a multi-million dollar industry and that’s why they fighting you, they want it for themselves. Don’t give it to them. Stand your ground, it is your right to earn, you have built the platform for it and don’t give up,” he encouraged stakeholders pledging the CoP’s support.
Also voicing her opinion was environmentalist Anabella Thorne who agreed with Williams that the scrap iron industry could add significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Government, in an attempt to regulate the industry proclaimed partially the Scrap Metal Act, 2022 which replaced the Old Metal and Marine Stores Act, Chap 84:07.
Several sections of the Scrap Metal Act, 2022, took effect from February 24, 2023.
