On Monday, some fisherman who had journeyed from small towns as distant as Georgetown were disheartened to discover they would not receive income support.
The fishermen, increasingly disheartened and aggrieved, observed with dismay as RainForest SeaFood employees collected financial assistance.
During the weekend, the government informed fishers, farmers, and other individuals impacted by Hurricane Beryl that they would get income support and production support, urging them to verify their inclusion on the list displayed in various constituencies prior to Monday.
On Monday night, Winsbert Harry, president of the National Fisherfolk Organisation, expressed profound disappointment to the St. Vincent Times and urged authorities to elucidate the current situation.
Harry stated that he did not get any cash on Monday, and a number of fisherman were dispatched nationwide on a haphazard hunt, only to find that their names were absent from all lists.
“I arrived at Victoria Park this morning seeking income support due to Hurricane Beryl’s impact on me and other Fisher people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. However, they informed me that the income support list did not include my name”.
“Hurricane Beryl affected several fishermen in the West Kingstown area. Some fishermen suffered damage to their boats, while others found themselves stranded and unable to engage in fishing. According to the information received by the fishermen, they were expected to receive compensation for damages and losses to their fishing gear and vessels, as well as compensation for lost income due to their inability to fish. However, on Monday we were told that we will not be assisted because we didn’t suffer any damages to our vessels, and there’s no income support for fishers from the Rose Place. The fishers were turned back and were asked to leave their name at a desk for further notice”.
“One of the things we noticed when we were there was the staff, the work crew employed by RainForest SeaFood; they were given priority in terms of their name being on the list, so they were given income support. Some fishers had to leave from Kingstown to go to Georgetown, Barrouallie, and Mesopotamia only to be told their name was not on the list”.
Harry told St. Vincent Times he does not like what occurred, how it was handled, and how the information was shared, because almost 5000 farmers were given income support.
“I estimate that between 200 and 300 fishermen received income support”.
Harry said Monday took him back to when the volcanic had erupted and the government pledged to support fishermen throughout the nation.
“When fisher folk turned up only to hear that it was fisher folks from the red zone and fisher folks from the green and orange zones who were left out. And here we have another piece of misinformation. I’m not sure who is deceiving whom, but my heart goes out to the fishermen; we are deeply disappointed”.
