SCRAP METAL EXPORTS ARE HALTED AGAIN
By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
THE SCRAP metal industry has been brought to a standstill once again, it was revealed yesterday, one leading operator telling Tribune Business that the Customs Department had its 'hands tied' because it had not received the new regulations that govern the sector.
Everette Rolle, proprietor of Caribbean Recycling and Trading Solutions, told Tribune Business: "We are somewhat at a standstill again. The extension to the ban expired, but the regulations that govern the new Act are not in place.
"Customs is at a standstill; they cannot process anything for us. They haven't been given the regulations in as much as they are responsible for the administrative side. It's crazy.
"The Government has not come to us and said anything because Customs is in a quandary, and in the absence of any clear-cut procedures they say they are going to wait on the Government. We would load the containers but Customs is not going to process the papers for the export. You can't blame them; they say they want to help us but their hands are tied."
The Cabinet Office issued a statement on November 1, stating that the 90-day temporary ban on the export of scrap metal, which was implemented on 27 July, would be extended by two weeks to November 11.
It was expected that by that time, the Pawnbrokers and Second-hand Dealers Act 2011, which aims to regulate the export of scrap metal, would have taken effect. Under the provisions of the Act, business owners or dealers engaged in the export of scrap metal will have to verify the identity of customers and maintain records of all transactions.
Scrap metal export businesses are also subject to monitoring by a police-designated administrator. The Government placed the temporary ban on the scrap metal trade, while imposing a permanent ban on all copper exports in an effort to curb the theft and destruction of property said to be linked with the industry.
Mr Rolle said: "The Government needs to come clean and continue to accommodate us until the regulations are in place. There's something fishy about the whole thing.
"I made some calls, and they said they were going to do something during the course of this week, but we haven't heard anything. It's just uncertainty right now."
He added: "We, in addition to providing employment, are providing service. The Department of Environmental Health can tell you that. It's too close to Christmas for this to be happening. This is a price sensitive business. You purchase stuff hoping to flip it immediately to capitalise on the price."
Attempts to reach Earl Deveaux, minister for the environmentm for comment on the matter proved unsuccessful up to press time. Calls placed by Tribune Business to Customs Comptroller Glen Gomez also proved unsuccessful.
November 18, 2011
tribune242
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Showing posts with label Scrap metal Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scrap metal Bahamas. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Scrap metal exports banned for 90 days
Scrap metal and copper exports banned
Guardian Staff Reporter
thenassauguardian
chester@nasguard.com
Widespread copper thefts, and the theft of other metals, prompted the government yesterday to issue an order banning scrap metal exports for 90 days and the export of copper permanently.
This comes after government agencies, foreign investors and private citizens in The Bahamas all became victims over the past few years of thieves who took copper wire from job sites, homes and businesses to sell as scrap.
The thefts became so frequent and costly that the government found it necessary to make an executive order to temporarily amend the Export Control Act to stop the export of scrap metal and copper.
The new regulation on the export of scrap metal, which came into force yesterday, states: “No person shall for a period of 90 days from the coming into force of these regulations export any scrap metal from The Bahamas to any place outside The Bahamas.”
And, with regard to copper exports, it prohibits “any person from exporting any copper from The Bahamas to any place outside The Bahamas.”
In a statement released by the Cabinet Office yesterday, the government insisted that the measures were taken because of the crippling effect copper thefts and thefts of other metals have had on businesses, government utilities and private citizens.
On Monday thieves left the Department of Agriculture’s Gladstone Road Farm and the Department of Fisheries’ Gladstone Road lab complex without power to critical machines, and without air conditioning in some buildings. A large number of power cords and copper air condition tubing were stolen.
Over the past year a number of other government agencies have been robbed of copper tubing and wire, including the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation and the Water and Sewerage Corporation.
The measures taken by the government yesterday will likely hurt legitimate scrap metal exporters during the duration of the embargo.
The government also announced in its release that better measure to police the industry will be discussed.
“The government is assessing the scrap metal industry and will engage with various stakeholders and legitimate businesses with a view to better regulating and monitoring the industry,” the government said.
Jamaica also announced yesterday that it would implement similar scrap metal prohibitions as have now been enacted in The Bahamas.
Jul 28, 2011
thenassauguardian
Guardian Staff Reporter
thenassauguardian
chester@nasguard.com
Widespread copper thefts, and the theft of other metals, prompted the government yesterday to issue an order banning scrap metal exports for 90 days and the export of copper permanently.
This comes after government agencies, foreign investors and private citizens in The Bahamas all became victims over the past few years of thieves who took copper wire from job sites, homes and businesses to sell as scrap.
The thefts became so frequent and costly that the government found it necessary to make an executive order to temporarily amend the Export Control Act to stop the export of scrap metal and copper.
The new regulation on the export of scrap metal, which came into force yesterday, states: “No person shall for a period of 90 days from the coming into force of these regulations export any scrap metal from The Bahamas to any place outside The Bahamas.”
And, with regard to copper exports, it prohibits “any person from exporting any copper from The Bahamas to any place outside The Bahamas.”
In a statement released by the Cabinet Office yesterday, the government insisted that the measures were taken because of the crippling effect copper thefts and thefts of other metals have had on businesses, government utilities and private citizens.
On Monday thieves left the Department of Agriculture’s Gladstone Road Farm and the Department of Fisheries’ Gladstone Road lab complex without power to critical machines, and without air conditioning in some buildings. A large number of power cords and copper air condition tubing were stolen.
Over the past year a number of other government agencies have been robbed of copper tubing and wire, including the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation and the Water and Sewerage Corporation.
The measures taken by the government yesterday will likely hurt legitimate scrap metal exporters during the duration of the embargo.
The government also announced in its release that better measure to police the industry will be discussed.
“The government is assessing the scrap metal industry and will engage with various stakeholders and legitimate businesses with a view to better regulating and monitoring the industry,” the government said.
Jamaica also announced yesterday that it would implement similar scrap metal prohibitions as have now been enacted in The Bahamas.
Jul 28, 2011
thenassauguardian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)