Time for VI fishermen to elevate from small boats & pots! Umoja
The hosts made this call during the radio programme Umoja, which was aired last evening January 17, 2013 on a local radio station.
Mr Wheatley was in full agreement that there was need for a diversification strategy in expanding the fishing sector of the Virgin Islands.
Mr Smith expressed his pleasure at Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Hon. Dr. Kedrick D. Pickering’s move towards a greater focus on the sector during his recent statements in the House of Assembly.
The hosts highlighted a recent article in the UK Guardian that cast a negative light on corruption and fraud issues occurring within the Financial Services Sector (FSC) as one of the concerns that were relevant to the necessity of the emergence of a ‘third pillar’. “That’s 60% of our government revenue,” said Mr Wheatley, “that’s not a god position to be in.”
The co-host felt that the tourism industry in particular was volatile as well because of natural disasters and economic crises in some countries that did not allow for travel.
Mr Wheatley said the issue of another financial pillar was not a new conclusion and persons have known this for a long time. “The limitation and the true boundary is not knowing another economic pillar,” he said. “If you create another economic pillar and you place yourself in a similar situation of dependence as [the other two]… most times if [employers] have to choose between the bottom line and employees’ livelihood, they’re going to send their employees home, they’re going to downsize,” Mr Smith said.
He added that it is time to get fishermen to make a transition from small boats and fish pots, however, the institutions are not there to do so because one of the primary institutions needed to facilitate that type of growth is some type of development bank.
“We need capital to be able to [do so],” he continued, “I get tired of them telling us about the fact that we didn’t write our business plan right, that is an aspect of it of course… but they have not solved the crisis of capital.”
Guest panellist on the show, Mr Khoy Smith, also felt that the stakeholders in the fishing industry were another aspect that needed close attention. He added that the issue needed to be expanded to food production and was a 'broad scope'.
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11 Responses to “Time for VI fishermen to elevate from small boats & pots! Umoja”
Most of the time it is my only entertainment all day
And you want to start INDUSTRIAL FISHING here in the BVI?
This not alarmist, environmentalist bullcr*p. This is established fact across all who study the oceans.
Please explain how you factor this in to your ideas, Umoja people, because ignoring it is NOT an option.
Commercial fishing and seafood production are not subsistence activities for the sole fishermen. They require serious capital and technological investment. What kind of production can local fisheries reasonably sustain, where are the markets, what are the risks?