(Demerara Waves) The Guyana Metal Recyclers Association (GMRA) has suggested that the Guyanese shipper, who is wanted for the 11.5 ton cocaine haul in Belgium late last year, may have skipped scrutiny after the rules had been slackened by the David Granger-led administration.
Association Secretary, Stephen Bourne said shipper Marlon Primo, who remains at large since the bust in Belgium last year November, was not among the 23 registered shippers. “That person was never a member of our association,” he told a news briefing on Wednesday. Mr. Bourne said the GMRA, which is registered as a not-for-profit organisation, was revived in September 2020 with a new executive.
GMRA Treasurer, Shalini Dias said A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)-led administration had not allowed his body to function for about five years. She recalled that when the trade was reopened in 2017, “the association was basically disbanded by that administration.” “We weren’t allowed to basically monitor the trade or monitor the exporters so a lot of persons, including the exporter that was (allegedly) involved with that recent bust was granted licence during that period of time,” Ms. Dias added.
