MEMBERS of the Guyana Used Tyres Association (GUTA) have renewed their call for engagement with the government on the prohibition of importation of used tyres.

The Association is of the view that due to the ban which took effect in April,2017, some 5000 persons have lost jobs.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Attorney-at-law Jerome Khan, who was representing the GUTA, told members of the media that the 36 businesses that are represented by the Association have been suffering since the ban was imposed.

This new law has prevented them from plying their trade, so they are once again calling on the government to engage in talks with them on the future of used tyres.

Khan said that the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) should be in a position where it is in possession of the technology to differentiate between good used tyres and sub-standard new tyres.
The Attorney was adamant that there is no basis for the ban on used tyres in Guyana; that used-tyres are in fact used across the developed world, in places such as Europe and North America.

In April 2016, hundreds of concerned stakeholders signed a petition to persuade the government to rescind its decision to ban the importation of used tyres into the country, but the decree was allowed to move forward nevertheless.