Heavy fines for trade in illegal scrap metal

The trade of any public infrastructure metal is prohibited.

That is the stand being taken by Government in gazetting the Scrap Metal Trade Decree 2011, which now has set penalties for those who try to sell and buy any public infrastructure metal.

In the Decree, public infrastructure metal refers to the property in any form belonging to Government or a statutory body whether it be power cables, telephone cables, water meters, power meters, manhole covers, street signs, railway lines and any other property.

The Decree said that anyone found to be trading or attempting to trade public property without the approval of the Licensing Authority is be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both.

However, a fine not exceeding $100,000 if it is a company that tries to sell the public property.

Meanwhile, any person who buys any public infrastructure faced a $10,000 fine or five years imprisonment or both and if it is a company found to buying the Government property, it will be fined $100,000.

If a person, who on selling scrap metal to a dealer gives a false name or address, that person faces a $1,000 fine or imprisonment of 1 year or both.

The Decree came into effect this month.


Story by: Paradise Tudrau