Upper Corentyne fishermen will soon benefit from a jetty costing some $5m which is currently under construction by the Ministry of Finance at Linepath – a project which is expected to greatly benefit the smaller fisherfolk in the area by allowing them easier access to offload their catches and seines.
Regional Chairman, David Armogan on Monday explained that at a public meeting in the Upper Corentyne Area, Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh was approached by fishermen who requested that a jetty be placed in Linepath, Upper Corentyne “so that they could be able to bring their catch out from the Corentyne River.”
A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into a body of water and may serve as a breakwater, a walkway, or both.
He stressed that the jetty – a much-needed feature – will assist fishermen who do not use the wharves with easier and more comfortable access to the shores with their catches.
Armogan told Stabroek News, “The finance minister agreed to assist them and today that is a reality, the jetty is being completed and the fishermen are very happy that the promise that was made to them materialized.”
He continued, “I think it will be much more comfortable for them because they would have to go to all the corners of the seawall and punish to bring out their catch but with the steps and so it will be much easier.”
According to Armogan, the $5m project is being funded through the office of Minister Singh.
He pointed out, that the only location to bring out catches from the river in the Upper Corentyne Area is at the Number 66 Wharf, however, smaller fishermen would not go there but use the seawall which can cause some amount of difficulty to offload catches, and seines. “Sometimes the water is low too and when the water low what you find is you got to walk a distance and climb that seawall too to bring out their catch so it’s convenient to them.” Furthermore, he stressed, that with easier access to land, fishermen will have more time to return to sea to fish as their offload time will be much shorter as a result of the jetty.
Meanwhile, asked about the fishermen on the East Bank of Berbice who are facing a similar situation in offloading their catches, Armogan said that they will now have to look at the possibility of building a jetty at that location as well. “Maybe we need to look at another jetty for the Islington area which is going to assist them greatly.”
He gave assurance that the need for a jetty at that location would be raised with Minister Singh as well.
