By Rabindra Rooplall

ARMED with placards members of the Guyana Metal Recyclers’ Association Inc. (GMRA) assembled Tuesday morning at Ministry of the Presidency, Vlissengen Road to voice their concerns about the ban on scrap metal exports – they did not anticipate that the very person they were protesting against would later greet them.
President David Granger on his way into office took the time out to speak with the protestors. Some of the placards read: “We have been suffering in silence for too long, President Granger please help us,” “President Granger please intervene and re-open the scrap metal trade,” “We the scrap metal dealers are now deemed unreliable by our suppliers,” “Good Life for the big boys none at all for scrap metal dealers.”

GMRA Secretary Michael Benjamin who was representing the group told the President of their plight. In explaining to the President some of their frustrations, Benjamin gave an example of several loaded containers that were packed at US$80 per ton and because of the ban the price over the prolonged period reached US$8 which resulted in millions of dollars being lost for exporters.

When asked by President Granger what would be a short term solution, Benjamin said “the short term is for the trade to be reopened based on your immediate intervention.” He said the legislation also needs to be fast tracked. “The banks are foreclosing on some of the exporters with their equipment and most of all the buyers overseas that we took advance from are promising to take legal action against us because we can’t deliver. We took their money and we cannot export presently,” Benjamin explained.

President Granger noted that the Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin who is responsible for the sector is presently overseas and he doesn’t want to take action since the Minister is dealing with the matter.

“We don’t want to cause any hardship on your lives, once you’re a legitimate exporter I will work with Mr. Gaskin to see if he can speed the matter up. It’s not that there is any opposition it’s a matter of regulation, so we will try to speed the matter up,” the President explained to the scrap metal dealers.

In an interview with this publication Benjamin noted that as the suspension of scrap metal exports continues, dozens of dealers and an estimated 1,500 workers are affected directly and indirectly.

“The suspension was effective from June 15, last year and when we did our inquiring, we found out that it was to facilitate the forensic audit which was done. It was completed sometime in December and since then we have been in talks with the Ministry of Business to resuscitate and resume the sector since almost 1,500 workers are out of jobs,” Benjamin asserted. Friday last, members of the GMRA picketed the Ministry of Business and had appealed to President Granger to intervene in lifting a suspension on their trade, which has been in place for now just over year.

Last week Gaskin wrote the Scrap Metal Recyclers’ Association informing dealers that the new proposal to govern the trade would be taken before Cabinet within the next two weeks. The minister, in his missive, said the Ministry is working towards November as the target date for completion of comprehensive reforms and resumption of the scrap metal trade. Minister Gaskin said the audit report into the trade, which was completed in December, advised that reforms be introduced into the system. Those reforms include legislative amendments, new regulations, and smarter monitoring of the trade.

“I do understand the hardships that metal dealers are facing, and my earlier commitment to resolve the matter still stands. However, we cannot resume under the same terms and conditions which previously prevailed and expect to achieve a different result,” Gaskin stated in the letter. But even as the minister has committed to ensuring that all reforms are speedily done, Secretary of the Guyana Scrap Metal Recyclers’ Association, Michael Benjamin, believes that there is a lack of respect for the trade and its dealers.