Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday stopped by the Montrose Seawall where he personally delivered the announcement of the $150,000 one-off grant to fisherfolk and urged that there be no dishonesty during the process.
The announcement saw the attendance of over 30 fishermen from the Montrose village, who were looking forward to getting the relief grant.
Montrose was one of several villages visited yesterday by Mustapha for the conveying of the news.
Mustapha noted that the initiative stemmed from the many complaints of fishermen and fishing companies about low catches over the past few months.
“We have been talking to fisherfolk around the country and fisher-folk also said that the catches have been low, we have been monitoring the situation and the department has reported that we are getting better catches now,” said the Minister.
He further said that although there are reports of better catches, fishermen were under severe strain to afford much of the necessary fishing equipment, in addition to providing for their own families. As such, the grant will be a way to assist them in purchasing the most needed items.
Although it is unclear as to the exact date when the distribution of the grant will commence, the minister said as soon as the list in every village is finalized, then fisherfolk will be able to receive their money.
He however warned them not to be dishonest during the distribution process. “But let us don’t try to smart the system,” warned the minister.
The initial announcement was made on Tuesday by President Irfaan Ali where he explained that the grant is geared to help fisherfolk during their “difficult times.”
And at Windsor Forest on the West Coast of Demerara on Tuesday, Ali had said that the grant was made after a complete assessment of the needs of persons in the industry – who amount to over 5,000.
