Tweet
$5m scrap metal theft
Vandals' raid on Colbeck pumping station affects 100 farmers
BY PATRICK FOSTER Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, April 23, 2010
THE agriculture industry has again been hit by scrap metal vandals who, Wednesday night, destroyed the Colbeck pumping station in St Catherine, leaving losses totalling approximately $5 million.
This latest occurrence has spurred Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to reiterate his call for a suspension of the scrap metal trade to allow for a review of the operations in order to eliminate damage to production facilities.
A man is seen pushing a cart loaded with scrap metal on Balmoral Avenue in Kingston, recently. The scrap metal trade has flourished in the past few years, due to the huge demand on the world market. (Photo: Marlon Reid)
As part of this review, Tufton is proposing that all scrap metal operations in the island be concentrated in one location, from which metals are sorted and exported.
The agriculture minister is further suggesting a "closed season" for scrap metal operations.
"Outside the closed season, legitimate operators will be allowed to collect and export legitimate scrap metal during a restricted period of three months," Tufton said, adding that discussions were underway with Commerce Minister Karl Samuda regarding the suggestion.
"A single state entity should also be charged with the responsibility of monitoring the operations of scrap metal operators," Tufton argued. "The consolidation of locations and single oversight body would allow for stricter monitoring of the operations of this industry," he added.
According to the agriculture ministry, the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) had just completed the pumping station at Colbeck and was about to commission the system, which was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The system would have benefited 100 farmers with over 200 acres of productive lands, the agriculture ministry said in statement.
"It was actually work in progress and we now have to enter into discussions with the IDB the determine the way forward," Tufton told the Observer yesterday.
The incident at the Colbeck irrigation system is the latest in a series of attacks by scrap metal thieves on irrigation infrastructure, as well as on infrastructure supporting the sugar industry, Tufton said.
In January, scrap metal vandals damaged the NIC's pumping station in Port Henderson, St Catherine, which supplies irrigation water to the Bernard Lodge Sugar Estate, costing approximately $12 million.
The sugar industry has also been targeted by scrap metal thieves, suffering losses of approximately $87 million in 2009, the ministry reported.
In these attacks, the SCJ Holdings lost motors, electric wires, poles, transformer oil and parts of bridges, in addition to the loss of production time, productivity and revenue.
It is against the background of the sustained attacks on the ministry's infrastructure, and the impact on agricultural production and productivity that Tufton said he is again making the call for a suspension of the scrap metal trade.
He added that the ministry will also be working to strengthen farmers' groups to become more vigilant in protecting the agriculture infrastructure.
Vandals' raid on Colbeck pumping station affects 100 farmers
BY PATRICK FOSTER Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, April 23, 2010
THE agriculture industry has again been hit by scrap metal vandals who, Wednesday night, destroyed the Colbeck pumping station in St Catherine, leaving losses totalling approximately $5 million.
This latest occurrence has spurred Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to reiterate his call for a suspension of the scrap metal trade to allow for a review of the operations in order to eliminate damage to production facilities.
A man is seen pushing a cart loaded with scrap metal on Balmoral Avenue in Kingston, recently. The scrap metal trade has flourished in the past few years, due to the huge demand on the world market. (Photo: Marlon Reid)
As part of this review, Tufton is proposing that all scrap metal operations in the island be concentrated in one location, from which metals are sorted and exported.
The agriculture minister is further suggesting a "closed season" for scrap metal operations.
"Outside the closed season, legitimate operators will be allowed to collect and export legitimate scrap metal during a restricted period of three months," Tufton said, adding that discussions were underway with Commerce Minister Karl Samuda regarding the suggestion.
"A single state entity should also be charged with the responsibility of monitoring the operations of scrap metal operators," Tufton argued. "The consolidation of locations and single oversight body would allow for stricter monitoring of the operations of this industry," he added.
According to the agriculture ministry, the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) had just completed the pumping station at Colbeck and was about to commission the system, which was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The system would have benefited 100 farmers with over 200 acres of productive lands, the agriculture ministry said in statement.
"It was actually work in progress and we now have to enter into discussions with the IDB the determine the way forward," Tufton told the Observer yesterday.
The incident at the Colbeck irrigation system is the latest in a series of attacks by scrap metal thieves on irrigation infrastructure, as well as on infrastructure supporting the sugar industry, Tufton said.
In January, scrap metal vandals damaged the NIC's pumping station in Port Henderson, St Catherine, which supplies irrigation water to the Bernard Lodge Sugar Estate, costing approximately $12 million.
The sugar industry has also been targeted by scrap metal thieves, suffering losses of approximately $87 million in 2009, the ministry reported.
In these attacks, the SCJ Holdings lost motors, electric wires, poles, transformer oil and parts of bridges, in addition to the loss of production time, productivity and revenue.
It is against the background of the sustained attacks on the ministry's infrastructure, and the impact on agricultural production and productivity that Tufton said he is again making the call for a suspension of the scrap metal trade.
He added that the ministry will also be working to strengthen farmers' groups to become more vigilant in protecting the agriculture infrastructure.
Comment