Officials at the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce confirmed Sunday night that with the imminent reopening of the scrap metal trade, Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) will on Monday take possession of the three approved multi-user sites.
The Police and Customs Department will also begin operating from the sites.
The Ministry, in a statement Sunday night, said this move will allow for the clearing of the sites, inspection of existing stockpiles and other measures preparatory to the full resumption of the trade.
The FCJ has been working to bring the three sites – C&M Recycling and David Scrap Ltd in Kingston, and Kurbiton Recycling in Clarendon up to the required standard in time for the reopening of the trade.
The ministry said, based on the assessments this week, the FCJ will make a final determination on when actual trading will begin.
In the meantime Anthony Hylton, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, is advising exporters, dealers, and traders of scrap metal that they must be in possession of a valid licence from the Trade Board.
Additionally, exporters must have a clean police record and an export licence, and must post a J$7million bond with the FCJ.
Non-nationals must be in possession of a work permit and a police record from the country of origin.
Despite calls from a wide cross section of the society to ban the trade in scrap metal, Mr. Hylton is seeking to assure the public that no effort has been spared to ensure that the trade is guided by very stringent regulations with appropriate penalties for non-compliance.
Clive Fagan, FCJ chairman, described the process of readying the sites as ‘rigorous’ but said he was convinced that the infrastructure, systems and technological support were in place to ensure the efficient operation of the trade.
The FCJ will establish a website to update those involved in the trade and provide a forum for the lodging of complaints by the public.
A review of the trade will be conducted after the first six months.
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