The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) announced yesterday that in light of the recent resurgence of vandalism it has instituted with immediate effect a suspension of the trading of ferrous metal scrap until further notice.
In an advisory to scrap metal dealers, the Office of the Prime Minister said also that the trading in non-ferrous metal scrap remains closed.
The OPM advisory cited the specific case of the vandalism of punts belonging to GuySuCo, which last week said two of its cane harvesters were in police custody following a sting operation, in which they were caught destroying transport punts to be resold as scrap metal. “The sugar industry has been plagued by similar acts of vandalism at all its locations. The Security Unit is constantly dealing with persons who illegally enter its locations to acquire scrap metal, which they in turn sell to dealers involved in the scrap metal trade,” it said in a statement.
It also asked persons to report information of any illegal activities to the police or its security and promised that all information will be dealt with in the strictest of confidentiality.
GuySuCo’s security department in conjunction with the police force and a scrap metal dealer conducted the sting operation, which led to the interception of the workers at the Central Navigation Canal Dam in the LBI/Diamond cultivation, while they were attempting to sell parts of destroyed punts.
Less than a year ago, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds had suspended the sale of scrap metal in response to similar complaints of vandalism of private and state property, which included the desecration of tombs.
There was particular concern about the removal of installations from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) sites and the Lama Conservancy, GuySuCo’s pumping facilities and the rails around graves in church yards and accessible burial grounds. The suspension was later lifted after scrap metal dealers lobbied President Bharrat Jagdeo and agreed to stricter rules for their trade.
In the past, the utility companies, and particularly the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), had complained about vandalism at the hands of scrap metal thieves.
Hinds had also instituted a ban effective from January 1, 2007 following similar trends in illegal activities.
Subsequently, the Old Metal Dealers Act was amended granting government the authority over the scrap metal trade and the right to impose fines and criminal charges if necessary.
