The Opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) on Monday ramped up pressure on the government with a petition demanding relief for fisherfolk devastated by Hurricane Beryl.
Doubling down on criticism of the administration for what it insists are broken promises and neglect, the DLP has vowed to escalate the fight for justice, warning of the possible collapse of the traditional fishing industry.
The petition, which Dr Derek Alleyne, executive assistant in the Office of the Opposition Leader, said has already gained significant support, seeks justice for fishers and boat owners still waiting for promised relief payments.
“Every day, somebody has called and said: ‘Add me to the petition’,” he told journalists during a press conference at the opposition leader’s Hincks Street office.
Alleyne, who has been over the last few weeks working closely with the fisherfolk, added: “We’re taking names from all affected fisherfolk to show the government the sheer scale of this crisis. This petition is not just a document – it’s a demand for justice.”
He said the fisherfolk organisation was fully on board and ready to escalate efforts.
“The fisherfolk are unified and ready to take the fight to government,” he said. “They are not going to let this issue be ignored any longer. The time for waiting is over.”
The petition comes as many fisherfolk are frustrated over long delays in receiving promised payments. Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne highlighted the personal toll of what he described as the government’s inaction on the fishing community, drawing attention to members of the fishing community present at the press conference, which he said represented only a fraction of those impacted.
“Of the people who came here today – about four people standing behind us – three of them haven’t been paid,” he said. “This is not an isolated issue; it’s widespread and deeply troubling.
“They paid three fishermen. Not the vendors. Not the boat owners. Three. This is disgraceful,” Thorne added.
The government had committed to providing $1 500 to individual fishers and $2 000 to boat owners for September, October, and November. However, the majority of the community remains unpaid, Thorne claimed. The promised payments were intended to help recover from losses after Hurricane Beryl.
“Please, government, pay the people,” Thorne pleaded. “You’re asking people who produce food for this country to beg. That’s a human rights violation. Enough talk – it’s time for action.”
Dr Derek Alleyne, executive assistant in the Office of the Opposition Leader. (HG)
He contended that the fisherfolk’s fight is about more than financial support – it is about their dignity and survival.
“These honest, hard-working people are being portrayed as though they are reckless or disorganised,” he said. “They have met all the formalities – four times, in fact – yet they are still here, begging for what was promised.”
Thorne also insisted that the payments be extended beyond this month.
“Why are you treating people like this?” he asked. “These are hard-working people who need every cent they’ve been promised, especially as bills pile up during the holiday season.”
“The time for soft talk has ended. We are now going to make the demand on [the fishers’] behalf that those paltry payments must extend into Christmas. They must extend into next year. Enough of the excuses. The government must pay the people – immediately,” Thorne declared.
He cited the state of the inner basin of the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex as further evidence of neglect.
“They haven’t dredged it yet. The harbour remains in a state of chaos and disrepair. [Fisherfolk’s] lives are in a state of chaos and disrepair,” Thorne charged.
The DLP has pledged to continue supporting fisherfolk in their fight for justice and has urged Barbadians to stand in solidarity with them.
“This is not just about compensation; this is about restoring dignity to people who have worked tirelessly for this country,” Alleyne said. “The fisherfolk organisation is ready to stand firm in this fight. They are determined, and we stand with them.”
Thorne added that failing to act could deepen a food security crisis and further alienate a vital segment of the economy.
“This is no longer just a fisheries issue – it’s a national crisis,” he said. “Without a robust fishing industry and local agriculture, we’re seeing food shortages in real-time. And this isn’t going to stop; it’s only going to get worse unless immediate action is taken.” (RG)
