The T&T Scrap Iron Dealers Association (TTSIDA) is seeking a sit down with the Heritage Petroleum Company Limited, following an increase of theft at Heritage’s compound, which is being linked to the scrap iron community.
The association, led by president Allan Ferguson, has maintained that is not to blame for the increasing thefts at Heritage.
However, Heritage has written to the association, demanding that they stop the theft of its scrap metal or face consequences.
Ferguson, at a press conference yesterday, presented a letter from Heritage dated August 2 which stated that in the last six months, the state-owned company had experienced a significant increase in the theft of scrap metal from its operation acreage despite efforts to boost security.
Heritage is calling on the scrap iron dealers to take immediate action or they would be forced to seek government intervention.
Ferguson said while he understands Heritage’s concern, his association isn’t at fault.
“I am holding the Commissioner of Police responsible for all this theft … You know what you want? You want this industry to shut down again and when it shuts down, it will be poor people suffering and we will have to be outside there calling on the government, fighting the government. When you could just enforce the laws that it has for this industry, you are not doing that,” he said.
Ferguson added that TTSIDA is willing to sit with the company to work things out.
This situation has developed as the TTSIDA faces closure of the scrap iron industry yet again as its export license is due to expire on August 14.
Ferguson warned that if that happened, tens of thousands of people would be out of jobs.
He said to make matters worse, business has been slow lately and the TTSIDA is in dire need of more inspectors.