IRON AND STEAL!
THE misguided ban on the exportation of scrap iron is a dramatic example of what is wrong with Trinidad and Tobago’s governance.
The obvious solution to ongoing theft of public property is to improve law enforcement, prosecution and conviction.
Catch the criminals, haul them to court and sentence them to the full extent of the law.
Surely, there could be no greater deterrent to the scourge of senseless larceny.
The government’s near-sighted and reactive response indicates flawed thinking and crippled decision-making along the corridors of power.
It is also another alarming revelation of the state of policing in a land that is set to create a dreadful new rate of serious offenses, including homicides, in 2022.
It is bad enough that society views chief crime-fighter McDonald Jacob as a caricature of a police boss, grossly incapable of undertaking the job that was recklessly handed to him.
Apart from being irrational, the ban on scrap iron exports raises disturbing questions about how the authorities would handle, say, the theft of tomatoes from farmers’ fields.
Would there be a ban on the sale of tomatoes?
Shouldn’t the prudent step be a crackdown on praedial larceny and the protection of our farmers?
The scrap iron export ban is particularly illogical and harsh in light of practical proposals from industry operators to resolve the vandalism crisis.
The representative organisation has long proposed an effective formalisation of the sector, with stringent rules of the game.
All van dealers must be registered and present documentation at points of sale, it was recommended.
Registration numbers and other applicable details, including contact information, should be indicated on official forms.
Further, there should be various metal categories, and dealers must provide the addresses of locations where the items were purchased.
Dealers must be able to produce their documents for inspection by the police or licensing authorities, or face being taken into custody and all goods in transit being seized while an investigation is underway.
The organisation also proposed that dealers be made to display business signs bearing their respective registration numbers and to have official certificates on display at their shops.
There is a proposition that registered dealers hold all metals in “custodial care” for seven days while relevant checks are made to ensure that the goods were not stolen.
If theft is detected, dealers are to contact the nearest police station, surrender the goods, and furnish the police service with relevant details.
The scrap iron dealers deserve commendations for prescribing a policy solution to the plague that is burdening their industry and demonising all operators.
But the government opted for the heavy hand of an export ban instead of engaging the representative body in purposeful discussions with the goal of adopting its guidelines.
The ban, which was accompanied by tough talk from the authorities, was obviously designed to show a government in action and as protecting and safeguarding the public’s interest.
It was aimed at indicating a no-nonsense ruling regime.
Instead, it revealed distressing myopia and a lack of sensible study and thoughtful resolution.
Scrap iron export is an important and growing sector, with T&T shipping the value of around $220 million each year.
Some months ago, Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon was hailing the “economic importance” of the industry and committing the government to “ongoing collaboration” with dealers.
Ms. Gopee-Scoon pledged to ensure the growth and development of the sector and touted it as a possible pillar of economic diversification.
Now, instead of rationally analysing the current dilemma, her government has imposed an ill-considered and oppressive ban, one that hurts the pockets of dealers and the national coffers.
The government has virtually stolen an industry from diligent and ingenious sole operators, who add economic and social value to their country.
Peter has paid for Paul at a time when T&T requires more and more ambitious and innovative entrepreneurs, in light of a sharply declining economy.
The export ban means that, in a competitive global marketplace, T&T’s traders would have to search for markets at the end of the embargo.
It also signifies more unemployment and financial adversity and less economic activity.
Along with that are the raw insights this decision has given about the government’s hasty and unsound judgments.
Is this characteristic of the decision-making method inside the Cabinet room?
The export ban is a kneejerk move, one with damaging consequences and worrying implications.
Even more disturbing is the thought process of our leaders.
