The TT Scrap Iron Dealers' Association (TTSIDA) is seeking an urgent meeting with the government to address issues threatening the industry. Chief among concerns, according to its president, Allan Ferguson, is the proliferation of what he calls an "international mafia" seeking to dominate the local market.

At a press conference at Computer Tech and Services Ltd in Couva on September 22, Ferguson accused the group of international traders of taking over local scrap yards and swaying supply-chain elements away from supporting TTSIDA member yards.

"We had more than 100 and something yards in TT and most of them were our members. Today, they start to take over the remaining yards in the industry so much that let me explain to you, if it have 25 (now)...it have 11 of them (under foreign control). They done gone to 11 yards, the foreigners."