THE Government is to lift the one-week-old ban on scrap metal exports tomorrow, with restrictions.

Making the announcement in Parliament yesterday, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda said the decision to lift the ban precedes several measures to be implemented over the next four months to tighten regulation of the sector.

Over the period, Samuda said all copper items will be banned from export until further notice. In addition, no smelted metal of any kind will be eligible for export and only members of the Scrap Metal Federation will be allowed to carry out exports.

"These exporters must confirm membership and demonstrate that their statutory obligations have been met prior to being allowed to export," he told the House.

In the meantime, he said scrap metal dealers, who are unable to provide details as to the source of their material, would not be given a licence to export.

He said containers for exporters will be loaded under direct supervision of a strengthened team.

The Government was forced to impose the ban last week following the theft

of infrastructure valued at millions

of dollars.