JMA Online News

The Jamaica Manufacturers' Association (JMA) yesterday said that it strongly supports the temporary ban on the scrap metal trade, which has negatively impacted the manufacturing sector and the wider society.

"While the scrap metal industry continues to be the livelihood of some Jamaicans, it cannot be allowed to thrive at the expense of the Government, private sector and all tax-payers," said a statement issued by the JMA yesterday. "The problems with the scrap metal industry have been persistentd recurrent, and require action. The past Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister has tried to deal with the issues surrounding the trade, with only a short period of success."

Tufton advised all exporters with inventories on hand to collect their containers from the ports by this Friday (July 22) and these must be packed and returned to the port by July 29.

"Thereafter, no new scrap metal will be accepted at the port," the minister warned in a release issued to the media. This is the second time in a year that a ban has been placed on the multimillion scrap metal industry, as Tufton's predecessor, Karl Samuda halted the trade last April.

The JMA added that it will "look forward to a plan from Cabinet that regularises this business, which appears to be out of hand, and address issues over the long-term, to prevent disruption and to ensure the sustainability of the productive, transport and ICT sectors".