Fishermen get cheques, some not happy

Many who received cheques expressed gratitude for the aid, but not all were happy with the differences in payments ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

According to Deputy Permanent Secretary, Claudelle McKellar, who has been overseeing the sharing of the $1 million payout from registration through distribution, out of the 419 applicants, 196 were called to collect cheques yesterday, between 9 am and 12 noon.

However some of fishermen started gathering from as early as 8.30 am.

The 196 who collected their cheques was the first batch, said McKellar.

“This was the easy bunch.

This first set fishermen registered with the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture,” Mc- Kellar said. Their names were cross referenced in the registrar of fishermen to determine their validity.

McKellar noted registering as a fisherman - which avails fishermen of subsidies for their boats and boat engines - is voluntary. Therefore, because there are bona fide but unregistered fishermen, more rigorous validation process is needed for the remaining number of fishermen. He assured this process was on-going and more fisherfolk would be called to collect cheques over the coming weeks.

Those receiving cheques yesterday had varying attitudes, however.

Some were happy for the assistance, others were disappointed and confused, especially about the reasons for the differences in payments.

Richard Ramlal, a 65-year-old Otaheite fisherman and father of one in a household of five, received a $1,000 cheque which he said he had to share among five workers.

Asked how he has been surviving since the fall in sales after the fish-kill, Ramlal said, “Well I not earning nothing now. I do a lil gardening and sell a few things.” On the other hand, Sterlin Boodram, 41, in a household of seven, received a cheque for $4,000.

“Most likely it good, but not 100 percent good enough, but wa we go.” The registration form that fishermen filled out to apply for the assistance required them to state their number of dependants and their household income to determine their needs. Ramlal wondered what caused the $3,000 difference between his cheque and Boodram’s, seeing the difference between the size of their household was two.

Ramlal and others claim to have stopped working entirely because they are investing more than they are earning back in sales.

Many of them being over 40-years-old feel helpless.

The public continues to stay away from purchasing fish amidst conflicting reports about the cause of the fish kill. Last month, Minister of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson-Regis sanctioned the sending of fish samples to an international lab for further testing in order to restore public confidence in local fish.

Up to Friday, according to the ministry’s communications manager, Kendall Fontenelle, a reputable international lab had not yet been chosen. The ministry awaits the conclusion of consultations with the Panamerican Health Organisation to determine a suitable lab.