Local fishing industry in for a boost

The Government of Barbados is planning to invest millions of dollars in the fisheries sector to position the local industry to compete on an international level.

That was the promise made by Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, as he gave brief remarks during a ceremony to honour former fish vendor, Rita ‘Sissy’ Hunte, who died tragically earlier in the year due to a freak accident at the Berinda Cox Fisheries Complex at Oistins.

Humphrey told the vendors who gathered for the ceremony, that investing in the sector was high on the list of tasks he currently has for his ministry.

“The Government has approved $1.4 million to fix the jetty [Oistins] and I am happy to tell you that we will be starting the work before the year has ended. We have had all of the works done. We have had a comprehensive assessment by the Quantity Surveyor (QS), and we know exactly what needs to be done. When I met here with you and with the fishermen, they told me the jetty was one of their important priorities, and we have done that. They told me getting the ice machine up and running was one of their priorities and we have also done that and they have told me a slipway for Oistins was also important and we are doing that,” he relayed.

It was an emotional scene for family members of the late Rita ‘Sissy’ Hunte, as they unvieled a plaque and newly renamed stall in memory of their loved one.

The minister also revealed that the jetty at the Bridgetown Fish Market will cost around $2.5 million, with the intention of also modernising that facility and the one at Oistins.

“I feel like we have to elevate the industry. We have to modernize the industry and it is my intention to be part of the modernization process. What does that mean? It means that we have now to find different ways of catching fish. We have to equip the vessels so that they can travel further, again to catch more fish and we have to change the way we process the fish. They are phytosanitary standards that we must meet in order to export to the European Union (EU), and we have started that conversation,” Humphrey declared.

The minister also expressed his condolences to Hunte’s family, saying that the late vendor always had a kind and gentle demeanour, whenever they spoke. His sentiments were repeated by MP of Christ Church South, Ralph Thorne Q.C., who said Hunte’s love of her work, was always an inspiration.

“Today is the day that we embrace the spirit of Sissy Hunte, a lady who spent her entire working life in service of her fellow human beings. She came to work, but it was more than work, it was about a love for people. It was about service to people and that is the spirit that we embrace today. Today’s ceremony will ensure that Sissy Hunte’s spirit will live on,” Thorne said.