Gov’t still very serious about fishing complex — Dawson
Junior Minister for Agriculture & Fisheries Dr Karl Dawson said the government still intends to move forward with the long-promised fishing complex for local fisherfolk.
The previous fishing complex was destroyed during the 2017 hurricanes but Dr Dawson said the land occupied by the complex in Port Purcell belonged to the BVI Ports Authority, and they had plans for the area.
“The government is still very serious about that,” Dr Dawson said on the Talking Points show.
He explained that a statutory authority has been created and legislation passed to allow for a new complex. However the legislation has not yet been brought into force.
“We have a consultant assisting us with bringing it into force and part of what is involved with that, too, is the creation of a complex where fish will be brought and processed, as well as other agricultural products,” Dr Dawson said.
“It will also be a spot, a site where consumers — whether retailers, or whether individuals, persons — can purchase the products,” he added.
Dr Dawson also noted that there is a plan in place to have landing sites where fishermen can offload their catch in various communities such as Carrot Bay, East End and Road Town.
“You may not be able to do all the things at those sites as you were able to do at the fishery, but… that’s clearly the place where they would be landed,” he said.
Late last year, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley assured that an amended money services bill that was passed in the House of Assembly (HOA) had an allocation of $1.9 million for the agriculture and fisheries sector.
Dr Wheatley said at the time that this amount will allow the government to procure the long-promised reservoir and to start rebuilding the agriculture and fisheries complex destroyed in the hurricanes.
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Really, a female police is on patrol with the marine police and taking away fishermen fishing tools. If they are to be working with Conservation and fisheries, WHO give her ALL that power. Are they making a collection of dive tanks, fishing guns and fishing rods to do their OWN fishing in our boat with our fuel and on our paid time. Like it’s a customary thing. But them cant be seen on the water on wknds when boat traffic is most seen. Come off my comment!!
Act like its an emergency and get it done quickly..
The BVI government made laws a long time ago to try to protect and sustain the fishing environment, unfortunately they never enforced them. Now that the system is failing and the environment is suffering you want to pass the blame off on the enforcement that is finally coming around to realize that law breakers taking lobster on scuba and shooting spears without a license, dumping holding tanks on the reef and bays, no pump out stations in marinas , all the sewage from Tortoilet going in the sea, are the main cause to the problem. Taking lobster too small, taking females with eggs shooting fish in breeding season, taking more than allowed, undersized conch shell everywhere. Set ah fools. You a clown to think law enforcement diving lobster while at work and pulling a fish pot for some supper. BVI so far behind on what’s happening in the sea how they raping and ruining the fishing for our kids. Set ah fools! Hey first district loser, go toss your hand line out by the marina haulout slip , catch that good tasting snapper wonder why ya lips tingles. Fool
Welcome back bvinews. Omg I was fed up of VINO bi8tching. They really need to stop.
These Politicians are doing what they want to make the people feel like fools.Can they give us a good reason why they should not build back the Fishing Complex back in it’s original location!It is all Government property and that location was ideal for sellers and buyers,people could have walked there and we fishermen could drop off our fish there and we could have get ice and fuel there, and fishers from other islands could come there.Now we have to put our catch in our car to another location.Now how the outer islands fishers going to get there catch there?Come on Dr Carl!
Dr Carl Dawson,the property that the fishing complex was on belongs to the Government so please rebuild it there.Look at all the benefits it has to we the fisherfolk.We can start there by getting fuel,water and ice, then we can drop off when we are done.Fishers from the other islands can drop off their catch there,buyers can walk to that location.So you want us to put our catch in a transport to get to the new location?do you think that outer islands fishers will be able to get transportation to there?Put it back where it was because it will be a lot more convenient for selling and buying.Does that make any sense?
Hurry up stop talk and do it ,the price a food crazy