Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey (left) greets boat owner Hallam Mayers.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey today intervened in a dispute between vendors and an inspector at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex, saying he was optimistic that the matter could be amicably resolved.
Several vendors were forced to close their stalls last Friday following an official inspection, drawing an angry response from the vendors who did not hide their frustration over the closure, or their general conditions of work when they met this afternoon with Humphrey.
The minister later told reporters there was “legitimate discontent as it relates to some of the facilities” at the complex, while pointing out that at the same time “Government must ensure that the conditions under which the fish is being prepared are the best and that they are hygienic”.
While not taking sides in the dispute, Humphrey also described the vendors as “the most important people in the fishing industry”.
“If they are discounted than the entire fishing industry would be discounted,” Humphrey said, adding that “we have to listen to the issues that have been raised here. We will be having a formal meeting soon to address some of these concerns. We will speak to the issues one by one and promise to have some redress for the people in an urgent manner.
“I am concerned that some of these issues have been going on for so long and I think that the fisherfolk feel as though they have not been listened to over the years,” he added.
Vendor Sandra Hinds told Barbados TODAY she had lost over $300 due to the closure of her stall last week.
“This is harassment. I am not using a power washer to blow off my foot. That is not my job and the officer knows this. When the stalls closed it is me that is suffering because when I don’t work, I don’t get paid,” Hinds argued.
However, head of the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organizations Vernel Nicholls said while she understood the concerns of vendors, the inspectors should not be criticized for doing their job.
“In defence of the quality control officer, I would say that she has been doing a very good job. Since she came to this market she has been trying her best to get a lot of changes happening. From my understanding it was a case of the officer saying that stall cannot be opened unless it is clean and that is her job. We need a situation where the persons that are supposed to do the cleaning actually do their part,” she stressed.
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Ricardo people like the two of them can not come in contact with people such as me because i will not spend my money with them in the first place . i didn't go for a long time because of the unsanitary condition down there.i tell u Ricardo let them open there mouth and if you don't sound like a bajan no fish buying.however jew to the unsanitary conditions down there i was buying my fish from the supermarket. instead of getting down there and backing them to make this country look bad on the internet all over the world, tell them take up the broom and scrub down were they are selling the fish, i happen to know that fish is the first out the food groups that catches contamination quickly, you said u went to japan you would have gone there no doubt on one of the government training course. Did you see any bajans in japan or all over the world on people national TV or news paper when they are working in people countries , when they have they domestic issues . people such as you Ricard are ignorant and push up those people when you are working with them to make this country look bad i would like Mr Robert D Lucas certified scientist to state here how serious we are risking the country's people when selling fish in such a condition the inspector right to close it, Ricardo it is people like u who make these islanders as you call them tell we anything to we face
Another ugly side of Bajan mind set. Using the nationality of our regional brothers and sisters in such an ignorant way..
Perhaps video evidence should support the inspector' s decision. Mind you, bad smells can't be captured on video...yet!
The inspectors needed to have closed the restaurants on the south coast when the crap was going on. Now the vendors in the market are feeling their wrath. Sad. Let us not have two Barbadoses.
@Ricardo - good point. This type os ingrunt talk happens when the history of blacks has been erased and then misconstrued.
I think the question is whether there are folks specifically paid as market staff to clean the stalls. If so, this may be a part of the contention...A lot of folks are jumping off here and taking sides. More is probably unsaid in this case. Why is everyone so sensitive and reactionary these days?
Bunch a no good nuffanarians. Always calling the press for the bup dem does get down at that market and do. These people are nasty is sh...e. Nasty I tell ya. They would work in the market from Monday to Sunday stink, and would not be a problem to non of them.
@CROOKS AND LAIRS I guess that when the "Islanders" as you call them, say that Bajans only have learning but no common sense, they said that after coming into contact with Bajans like you because I don't understand your point about the two women being Vincentians! What does that have to do with fishermen and other workers having to keep their stalls cleaned? And don't you know that Bajans are living and working in every single Caribbean island? And for that matter, all over the world. I traveled to Japan and there was a Bajan working as a baggage handler at the airport. The first president of Ghana had a Bajan as one of his advisers and a Bajan was a diplomat representing Tanzania at the United Nations. It's about time that we stop this myopic ignorance
*There is a certain ------
I have to stand one hundred percent behind the Inspector on this one.
The is a certain set of people in Barbados who shows scant disrespect for authority, people who believe they can do whatever the hell they feel like without any consequences. The entitlement mentality. It must be eradicated from the shores of Barbados.
Congratulations to this Inspector for doing an excellent job. Who the hell these fisher-folk think they are to be dictating to this Health and Safety Inspector how she should be doing her job?
In my opinion Barbados needs more Inspectors like this lady, people who really work and not like some of the other lazy people who were drawing a salary from the Gov't by fraud.
Enough is enough. Shut down the stalls if the conditions are unsanitary. If you keep where you work unsanitary, you will also keep the neighborhood where you live unsanitary.
Keep up the good work Inspector.
Hats off to the Health Inspector on a job well done!