The harvester bought by the government four years ago to clear the sargassum seaweed buildup on the island’s beaches is currently undergoing repairs and not “rotting away”, according to Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey.
Responding to a video, making the rounds on social media, of Democratic Labour Party member Kemar Stuart calling on the government to “tell us why it wasted people’s money in buying a seaweed machine and hid it away at Consett Bay, St John”, Humphrey said on Wednesday that the equipment is “functional” but that parts have been removed for repairs due to corrosion.
He said the government has been awaiting replacement parts since late last year and expects the harvester to be back in operation soon.
Humphrey, who was minister of the blue economy when the government spent nearly $300 000 to acquire the harvester, tractor, and conveyor, acknowledged that there is some rust on the equipment but said it will not prevent the harvester from working.
He told reporters at a news conference called at the St John fish landing site: “We’ve already used the harvester at Oistins and here at Consett Bay, and currently, we have taken out the battery and some other parts because of the corrosion that is associated with . . . when we are dealing with this part of the ocean. Those parts have been sent for repair. In fact, since December/November last year, we were awaiting parts. So the parts will be in very soon, I’m told, and the harvester will continue to be functional.”
He added: “The rust that is on the harvester is nothing that can stop the harvester from [working]. It is a very functional harvester and the parts that have been taken out have only been taken out for repair; it will continue to be a part of our response to the overall fishing industry.”
The minister also highlighted the government’s broader efforts to develop the fisheries sector, including repairing jetties in Oistins, Bridgetown, Speightstown and other areas, as well as improving market facilities.
Officials looking at plans for the
Consett Bay Fisheries Complex.
(Photos by Jeffrey Bishop)
He said $4.3 million has been budgeted this year for work at Consett Bay, and an additional $5 million for further improvements in Bridgetown.
Humphrey declared that the Mottley administration found a “very underdeveloped” fishing industry on coming to office in 2018.
“The market at Tent Bay, Oistins Bridgetown, Weston, you name it, the markets needed work; all over the fisheries industry also needed work. We also repaired the jetty in Speightstown, so we’ve done the most work to jetties in the history of any one government,” he said.
“When it comes to the markets, when we came in, we found all of the markets in a state of disrepair, all of them. Oistins was particularly bad. We repaired Oistins . . . we repaired Tent Bay, we repaired Pile Bay, we are now doing Weston. You name it, we’ve done it. Consett Bay is set to be done this year.”
Humphrey added that work was also slated for some landing sites in St Lucy.
St John MP and Acting Minister of the Environment and National Beautification and Blue and Green Economy Charles Griffith described the claims made in Stuart’s video as “unfortunate” and “fake news”.
“The Democratic Labour Party is knocking on closed doors. There are no vacancies in the constituency of St John,” he declared.
Casting the comments as a political manoeuvre in the former DLP stronghold which was held by the BLP in the 2018 and 2022 general elections, Humphrey said: “I feel like I understand why members of the Democratic Labour Party would be so keen to come to St John and try to make a point, even though it’s not a point based in fact. I understand that there are a number of persons knocking around St John hoping to be the representative — the administrative leader, the political leader, my young friend who is standing outside, all hoping to be the representative for St John. But the truth is that the seaweed harvester is functional.” (FW)
