Thursday, March 28, 2024

Fishermen cry out for help

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FISHERMEN at Oistins are saying nobody cares about them as their calls for help are apparently falling on deaf ears.
Both the diesel pump and the forklift are out of order, the former since Tropical Storm Tomas in late October and the latter for the past couple weeks.
President of the Oistins Fisherfolk Association, Shirley Young, said he was so fed up he wanted to see a change in management
“Due to the lack of commitment shown by the market people to assist us in these things, I would love to see the responsibility for the pump taken from the market section and given to the fishing division,” he said.
Young added that the situation typified the “lackadaisical” approach he said they always noted from the market division.
Member of Parliament for Christ Church South, John Boyce, who visited the market yesterday said: “The problem here is the lack of urgency. Everybody knows what the problems here are but no one is prepared to come forward.”
Boyce said both he and Minister of Agriculture David Estwick were in agreement about the market repairs but he said it took “a daily push” to try to get the required urgency instilled to fix the market’s problems.
 “The people in this market are crying out. These things start small but then mushroom into major problems. We need a more proactive approach from the management of the markets,” he said.
Fisherman Steven Bourne told the SATURDAY SUN: “It is not easy to go out; come back here to offload fish then go to Bridgetown to refuel and come back here. You end up burning the same diesel you went for.
“The forklift broke over two weeks ago, so now we have to use bags and [shopping] trolleys or drag cross half buckets. All they [officials] doing is coming and looking and all we getting is promises.”
Deighton Ward said the Government did not care about them as “they carrying home their salary but this is an industry which feeds poor people.”
When contacted, deputy manager of markets Israel Kirton, said he would not comment on the matter as it was being handled by the Ministry of Transport and Works. (CA)

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