(Trinidad Express) Energy Minister and Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young says fireworks should not be sold to members of the public, and are a waste of foreign exchange.
Young expressed these views in a statement, as he called on his constituents and the wider public to participate in the consultation process as the Government seeks to bring legislation to regulate the use of fireworks.
The renewed discussion surrounding fireworks comes following a New Year’s Day tragedy, where 25 people were left homeless after four houses in Young’s constituency were destroyed by fire.
Fire officers and the police believe the fire was caused by a sky lantern, a type of firework which was lit during New Year’s Day celebrations.
Young, who visited the scene of the fire when it occurred, lamented that fireworks are dangerous and cause a nuisance to both people and animals.
“I also personally think that fireworks utilise (waste) foreign exchange and are literally burning up foreign exchange unnecessarily,” he said. “Foreign exchange that is better allocated to more sustainable and useful items.”
Young also said he was against requiring members of the public to have a permit to buy and use fireworks.
Draft legislation prepared by the Law Reform Commission states that a person shall not discharge any fireworks unless he holds a valid permit issued by the Police Commissioner.
The public would only be able to use fireworks without a permit on public holidays for a limited time.
Young said a permit system would be burdensome.
“I am also of the view that to have a permit system for members of the public to purchase and use fireworks is burdensome and not an efficient use of the (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service) resources,” he said.
He, however, said he could envisage a system where event promoters may get approval to use fireworks in pre-approved areas on a limited basis and for a limited time.
He noted the Government has not yet made any decision with respect to the policy regarding the sale and use of fireworks by members of the public.
On Friday, the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs (AGLA) also stressed that the draft legislation is not the Government’s final policy, and no final decision would be made without consultation with stakeholders and the public.
Different views
But interest groups have already voiced their disagreement with the proposed legislation.
The Animal Welfare Association (AWN) and the Animals 360 Foundation have raised objections to the public being allowed to use fireworks without a permit on public holidays.
Instead, the AWN has suggested a ban on the sale of fireworks to members of the public, as well as a ban on the use or discharge of fireworks by members of the public and a permit for the use of fireworks on national holidays, with restrictions on where, what kind and during what hours fireworks can be used on those days.
The draft legislation has, however, met with full support from FireOne Fireworks managing director Andre Abraham, who told the Express last week that what has been proposed is exactly what fireworks retailers had envisioned, and he believed it is the “right direction for the country”.
The Attorney General’s office has said the next step is consultations, and it has invited the public to submit comments and recommendations ahead of planned virtual town hall meetings.
The public has until January 26 to submit comments.
