The Guyana Used Tyre Association today (Tuesday, April 11, 2017), picketed the State House, calling for the restriction on used tyres to be revised.
The restriction on the importation of used tyres came into effect on April 01, 2017.
Members of the Association during a demonstration in the Avenue on Main Street, threatened legal action if the Government’s policy which was introduced in the 2017 National Budget is not revised.
According to Vice President of the Association, Mustaak Mohamed the body, almost 75% of the Association’s members have already sought legal advice on the issue.
“We are the importer; we are the importer, we are the businessman, we pay tax and the government na call abie (Association) and tell abie nothing concerning this so, our lawyer will make thing with them then they will go through our lawyer, ” he told News Room.
Mohamed said citizens should be allowed the choice of used or new tyres when replacing their vehicle wheels.
He argued that “is like the government don’t care about the people in this country.” Mohamed noted that this is the association’s third picketing exercise, but no effort was made to engage the association. “Dem (nah) Even call and say O, why yah picketing or yah know, we will come to something, up to now nobody. We will picket until someone calls us and talk something” he added.
The Vice President of the Association who has been in the business of used tyres for the last ten years also spoke of possibly losing his personal investment, once the phase-out period is completed.
The Guyana Used Tyre Association hopes that Government would reconsider the decision to restrict used tyres to decrease the chances of small businesses being forced to close their operations.
The body along with the United Minibus Union is warning that transportation cost could increase which in turn puts pressure on the average citizens.
