Fishing fillip for fisherfolk

The Pile Bay, St Michael, fishing facility will be undergoing a major facelift in the coming months.

Today, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey revealed that Government would be spending $1 million dollars on the Pile Bay Fish Landing Facility.

However, during a groundbreaking ceremony at the site, Humphrey said in the meantime, vendors will be using a temporary facility while the upgrade is taking place.

“As a Government, we have prioritized the fishing industry and that is why we kept the market’s opened during COVID, and that is why the fishermen were given emergency passes during the shutdown and that is why now even though we are constructing a new facility, we thought it pertinent to build a temporary facility to accommodate the vendors so that they are not disadvantaged at any point in time,” he said.

The minister indicated that the new facility will take about six months to construct, and will be equipped to accommodate seven vendors, three more than the present facility allows.

He said the upgraded market will also have indoor and outdoor bathroom facilities and a specialised area for hauling up boats.

Humphrey said following the upgrades at Pile Bay, the ministry will also be conducting renovation works at Consett Bay, St John, and major construction works will start at the Bridgetown fishing facility before yearend.

“I want to thank the Bridgetown Port who has seen this as part of their corporate social responsibility to help the fishing industry.

“In all, this project is going to cost us $1 million, but we expect that at the end of this six-month period we are going to have a transformed modern facility to allow the vendors to feel very proud of and to work in.

“I have always felt that people who come to work every day should be working in good conditions. I have never felt that we should treat to fish vendors any differently and that is why you would see that when this facility is done it is going to be a modern facility,” Humphrey added. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb