No fish deal with Barbados

The group, Concerned Citizens and Friends of Tobago (CCFT) is threatening to take court action against the Government if it enters into any fishing agreement with Barbados. That was the word yesterday from CCFT vice-chairman Arthur Rollocks. “We are against any agreement with Barbados!” Rollocks told Newsday. “We are saying that the fishermen in Tobago must harvest the fish (flying fish) and sell to whosoever wishes to buy. If it becomes necessary we will put a stop to it by filing documents in court and seek judicial review.” Rollocks emphasised, “We are going to name the Commanding Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly as respondents along with the Government,” he added. 

Rollocks told Newsday that the decision to initiate court action was taken at a CCFT meeting in February last year, which was attended by former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj whom he described as “our counsel.” According to Rollocks, other persons present at that February meeting were fish processor Emile Louis, president of the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA), another fish processor Roy Jacobs, and other concerned players in Tobago’s fishing sector. He said that a resolution taken at that meeting was sent to Prime Minister Patrick Manning but “we have never had a response to date.” Rollocks said the CCFT is adamant that the Government should deny access to all foreign fishing vessels operating in TT’s territorial waters until an assessment of the fish stock is carried out. The CCFT vice-chairman reiterated the threat of court action when he addressed a CCFT awards ceremony at the Hilton Tobago last Sunday, in light of the recent resumption of TT/Barbados fishing talks in Bridgetown last week.