Rifs Lima Fish Port Complex is currently investing over $100 million in the construction of a wharf, a dry dock area and a processing plant at Charity, in Region Two.
Speaking to Stabroek News, businessman Riyadh Khan said that the establishment, which is located at Lima Public Road, made the decision after realising that it is difficult for boats to be moored at Lima and many are now being moored at Charity.
The Complex currently sells ice, fishing equipment, fuel, spare parts, and automotive paints to fisher folks.
Khan said that the Complex, which provides ice for fishermen across the entire Essequibo Coast, started as Ariff Mohamed in 1996 but the operations were vandalized and stripped of everything by a previous operator. However, since Khan took over he has rehabilitated and invested in the operation, increasing the ice production from 10 tonnes per day to almost 40 tonnes. “We started with ice production and that time in 1996 the ice production was only 5 tonnes. However, in 2010 we realized that fisher folks are demanding more and, therefore, we expanded the operations and increased the ice production with fishermen in mind,” Khan said.
The businessman said that currently he is acquiring a new delivery port at Charity, so they can fill the growing demand for ice. Currently, 12 persons are employed but he said that with the new machines and new location he will be able to provide further employment for 20 additional persons. He also explained that persons will be employed to work in the processing plant at Charity.
He explained that work has already started at the new location at Charity but it was halted as they await further approvals. He also said that the equipment that was ordered is already in Guyana and he cannot set it up as yet. “The fishermen have shifted from the coastline… the design of the boats is different and mooring at Lima is difficult for them and also expensive for them to purchase ice… as such we want to open our facility at Charity so that persons can moor there and be able to purchase ice,” Khan explained.
When this newspaper spoke with fisher folk, they related that it cost them as much as $25,000 to buy and transport the ice to Charity. According to Winston Williams, he has been purchasing ice from Lima Fish port since 2000 but was forced to start buying from another person since the location is too far.
When contact was made with a regional official, Stabroek News was told that the project was halted since the businessman’s application is currently at the Sea Defence Board awaiting approval. Before the construction started, residents had complained that a fence that was built in the area was impeding traffic. The businessman, however, moved the fence by four feet to ensure that the traffic was clear where the construction would have commenced. He is therefore hoping that the Sea Defence board as well as the Minister of Agriculture and relevant authorities would consider approving the construction of the plant and wharf at Charity so that his business can continue to support fishermen.
