The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

BANNING copper exports was yesterday described as “an alarmist approach”, with one leading operator disclosing that it did not form the bulk of the industry’s exports.

Everette Rolle, owner and operator of Caribbean Recycling and Trading, said a complete ban on copper exports would not kill the scarp metal industry, as it represented a small portion of the industry’s exports.

Mr Rolle added, however, that the stigma surrounding scrap metal operators was unfair, as many like himself were operating above board and abiding by regulations governing the industry.

“We have gone through the process, which was the Government shutting us down for 120 days,” he said. “They drafted regulations to regulate our industry, it was approved, we had several meeting with Customs to discuss the mechanism to make this thing work.

“At any step in the process they can come and audit us. There is a system in place to deal with this. The industry was unregulated, now it’s regulated and we are working in compliance with the regulations.”

The Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Act 2011 imposes upon a business owner or dealers the duty and responsibility to verify the identity of customers, maintain records and keep certain items in an unaltered state for specified periods.

The Bill also empowers a police officer, acting on reasonable suspicion, to enter a dealer’s premises and request the production of all articles in possession of that dealer for inspection, and request the production of copies of records required to be kept by the dealer.

During his contribution to the 2013-2014 Budget debate, the Minister of National Security, Dr Bernard Nottage, said he wanted all Cash for Gold operations shut down due to the rise in crime associated with such enterprises.

He added that he wanted copper exports stopped until the Government could get a handle on the copper theft which has affected many business establishments and Government corporations.

“This is a scare tactic that they are using, and it really makes no sense,” said Mr Rolle.

“If we shut every industry down because of a few bad apples, this country would come to a halt. The copper issue is highlighted because the thieves can get more money quickly for the copper but, by comparison, that is not the bulk of the industry’s exports.

“If they want to ban copper, they can ban copper, but that’s one item in a multiplicity of items we export. I think it’s an alarmist approach. I don’t see the rationale behind the ban apart from trying to appease a few businessmen. I’m a businessman and I have stuff stolen from my yard as well.”